Image CreditScreenshot//Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing
None of Democrats’ witnesses in a congressional hearing Tuesday could say resolutely that they believe only citizens should be able to vote in a federal election.
During a Senate Judiciary Hearing on the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee asked the witnesses to provide a basic “yes” or “no” answer to a series of questions about non-citizens voting.
“Do you believe that only citizens of the United States should be able to vote in federal elections?” Lee asked each of the witnesses.
“We don’t have a position about non-citizens voting in federal elections, we believe that’s what the current laws are, and so we’re certainly fighting for everyone who is eligible under current law to vote,” Executive Director of The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Damon T. Hewitt said.
“That’s a decision of the state law but I want to emphasize –” President of Southwest Voter Registration Education Project Lydia Camarillo said.
“It’s a decision of state law as to who should vote in federal elections?” Lee interjected.
“States decide who gets to vote in various elections, and in federal elections I believe that we should be encouraging people to naturalize and then vote,” Camarillo said.
“Okay but you’re saying that the federal government should have no say in who votes in a federal election?” Lee pressed.
“I don’t have a position on that,” Camarillo responded.
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