# Plain Language Summary: H.R. 192

This bill would prevent non-citizens from voting in Washington, D.C. elections. Right now, D.C. allows certain non-citizens who are permanent residents of the city to vote in local elections and ballot measures. This bill would change that by making citizenship a requirement to vote in any D.C. election, whether it's for mayor, city council, or local ballot initiatives like funding for schools or parks.

The bill specifically targets a 2022 D.C. law that expanded voting rights to include non-citizens who have lived in the city for at least 30 days. Under that current law, a permanent resident of D.C. who isn't a U.S. citizen can still vote on local issues that directly affect their neighborhood. This bill would eliminate that option entirely and repeal the 2022 law that created it.

The practical effect would be that hundreds of thousands of non-citizen residents in D.C.—including green card holders, visa holders, and other legal residents—would lose their ability to participate in local elections. They could no longer vote on issues like school budgets, housing policies, or who leads their city government, even though they live there, pay taxes, and are affected by these decisions. This is a significant change because it removes voting rights that some D.C. residents currently have based on their citizenship status rather than their residency or stake in the community.

To prohibit individuals who are not citizens of the United States from voting in elections in the District of Columbia and to repeal the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022

Pfluger, August

 <p>This bill prohibits an individual who is not a U.S. citizen from voting in any elections in the District of Columbia (DC).</p> <p>Federal law bars noncitizens from voting in federal elections; however, the DC Council passed a bill on October 18, 2022, that allows noncitizens who meet residency and other requirements to vote in local elections.</p>