Why two Vermont cities are being sued by the Republican party – Burlington Free Press

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Two Vermont cities Winooski and Montpelier are being sued by the Republican National Committee and the Vermont Republican Party.

The issue is non-citizen voting. Both Vermont citiesamended their charters to allow non-U.S. citizens to vote in municipal elections. The charter changes required the approval of the Vermont Legislature, who ultimately overturned a veto by Republican Gov. Phil Scott. The bills became law in June 2021.

The charter changes allownon-citizens the right to vote in city and local electionsfor items like who should sit on city council or the school board. However, they would not be able to vote in state and federal elections such as those for state senator or the presidential election.

Earlier: Winooski backs voting rights for non-citizens in local elections

"This radicalschemepassed by Vermont Democrats, to allow foreign citizens to decide American elections is a blatant attack on election integrityand violates the state constitution which requires Vermont voters to be U.S. citizens," a news release from the Republican National Committee reads.

The lawsuits werefirst reported by Fox Newson Tuesday. The complaints againstWinooski and Montpelierwere filed Monday in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington and Montpelier.

The Vermont Republican Party and "several concerned Vermont voters" joined the Republican National Committee's lawsuits, according to the news release.

The complaints allegethe two citiesand their city clerks arein violation of the Vermont Constitution. The suit seeks a declaration that non-citizen voting is unconstitutional and void, that the cities refrain from enforcing non-citizen voting and registering non-citizen voters, and that the cities pay the costs associated with bringing the lawsuits.

State Rep. Hal Colston, D-Winooski,said up until the 1920s non-citizens were allowed to vote in local elections.

"It is apparent to me that the vestiges of xenophobia are alive today with the RNC's effort to sue the cities of Montpelier and Winooski to allow legal residents who are not yet citizens to vote only in local elections," Colston said in a statement, adding that the majority of voters in both towns supported the measure. "This action of the RNC does not surprise me as they seek to turn over every stone to suppress the voice of voters."

The town of Montpelier did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Free Press.

Contact reporter April Barton at abarton@freepressmedia.com or 802-660-1854. Follow her on Twitter @aprildbarton.

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Why two Vermont cities are being sued by the Republican party - Burlington Free Press