Establishing the Right to Vote for All Residents Regardless of Status

Mount Rainier, MD

Population: 8,000 | Government type: City | Topic: Democracy

Overview

In 2017, Mount Rainier, located just over the District of Columbia line, joined other Maryland municipalities like Takoma Park in amending its city charter to extend the vote to all residents regardless of immigration status.

This historic change to the city’s charter did not come easily, and it drew into sharp relief longstanding tensions in the city. In the early 20th century, Mount Rainier was a white farming community and was known as a “sundown town.” By the 1960s, Black residents began moving to Mount Rainier, some of whom still remain in the city. Today, the small city is a vibrant mix of those longtime residents, immigrant communities, and newcomers—some white and affluent—all drawn to the city’s quality of life and proximity to DC. Like much of the DC area, Mount Rainier is experiencing ever-increasing costs of living and the related pressures of displacement.

Collaborative Governance

Often, municipal governance is most responsive to residents who are the most engaged, the most adept at navigating city government, and who turn out to vote most consistently. This model of governance is therefore only accountable to a portion of the population, leaving out those who are marginalized, disenfranchised, and otherwise lack the means to participate in democratic processes. Thanks to this campaign to pass non-citizen voting in Mount Rainier, though, things have changed on this front.

The history of Mount Rainier, coupled with questions around who gets to live where and whose voices get included in the civic life of the city, remain central today. The campaign to enshrine non-citizen voting in Mount Rainier took place in the context of a city election. Some voiced discomfort with the idea of prioritizing a new community and questioned whether this would come at the expense of those who have fought over generations for the right to live in and govern Mount Rainier. Others in the immigrant community expressed fears that their information might not be adequately safeguarded. 

The campaign engaged in a widespread community education effort to address these concerns and overcome resistance. To assuage voter protection fears, the city established a single voter roll with all residents, rather than disaggregate non-citizen voters in a separate roll. In response to a belief that this voting expansion was a handout at the expense of longtime residents, campaign advocates flipped the narrative. They built a large and broad coalition featuring Black and Latino churches, residents of various backgrounds and races, and CASA, the most prominent immigrant rights organization in Maryland. Together, this coalition emphasized that these excluded residents pay taxes, pay rent, own homes and businesses in Mount Rainier, all without representation. They explained to people—through a public hearing, canvassing, and door knocking—how members of the immigrant community have struggled for many years to make a life in Mount Rainier and that this legislation would make them full participants in the city. In doing so, advocates ensured that many residents too often excluded from the political process were heard during this public debate. The negativity began fading away with so many people speaking up in favor of the campaign. After all, it’s difficult to say no to a neighbor who is just asking for the right to vote. 

Prior to the change in the city charter, low turnout plagued non-mayoral elections. Some people, including those who are Dreamers, TPS status, or undocumented, who did not participate in municipal elections or civic affairs out of frustration, disillusionment, or exclusion. In other cases, there are also US residents and Green Card holders that due to financial limitations cannot afford the financial cost to become US citizens and consequently would never have the opportunity to vote. With the expansion of the vote, campaigns are now being conducted bilingually, prioritizing outreach to and inclusion of people who would have sat out elections or been excluded in the past. Campaign door knocking has gone beyond targeting extremely likely voters and is now including a wider swath of the community.

Emphasis on equity

An inclusive democracy means that all residents—especially those who are historically underrepresented and disenfranchised—are engaged in voting and in the ongoing processes of decision-making for the city. Expanding the vote in Mount Rainier has been a critical step toward that vision. It is not the last step, however.

The aftermath of the campaign led to more inclusive communications and leadership from city hall. The city newsletter is now published in Spanish and English, a change that has now been codified into law. Mount Rainier is now more outspoken in supporting its residents on federal immigration issues like DACA and TPS. This emphasis on inclusion and standing up for residents has broadened as well. The city raised the LGBTQ+ flag over city hall, established an LGBTQ+ month and a Latino month, and recognized Indigenous People’s Day.  Acknowledged the contributions made by the marginalized communities as an integral part of Mount Rainier.

Overall, the campaign to expand municipal voting was a gateway to imagining a new way of respecting the rights of residents both within and outside of the city limits partly because of the infrastructure and community organizing momentum that was built around expanding the vote. As of January 2021, Mount Rainier has now also extended the vote in municipal elections to 16 and 17-year-olds, welcoming and including a new block of voters to be active participants, as other Maryland municipalities have done This is all part of an ongoing effort to realize a local democracy in which everyone’s voice is heard and valued. Mount Rainier, in taking this step, has demonstrated that a strong democracy is one in which the vote is treated as both a privilege and a right worth defending for all residents. 

Since Mount Rainier has enacted this change, nearby Maryland localities - such as the City of Cheverly - also expanded their municipal voting to all residents regardless of status. Now, these municipalities, in partnership with CASA, have a cohort of locales working together to expand and strengthen democracy.

Analysis

• Not all states allow localities to expand the vote in their municipal elections,

• In Mount Rainier, this action took a council ordinance changing the charter. In other states, that course of action may differ.

• The policy ensures that all residents have a voice in their local democracy and are able to participate in decision-making that shapes their community.

OTHER POLICY EXAMPLES

• This law review article highlights various state laws and where localities can amend the voting age, expand the vote to people regardless of status, and more.

• Vote 16 USA highlights other places with youth voting

Last updated: January 19, 2021

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