Republicans sued Vermont Town to block foreign nationals from voting in school board elections
Republicans are suing Winooski, Vermont, to block a local ordinance allowing foreign nationals to vote in school board elections.
Last year, Winooski began allowing foreign nationals to vote in local elections, including mayoral, city clerk and school board races.
Now, the Republican Party of Vermont, the Republican National Committee (RNC) and two residents have filed a lawsuit against the city of Winooski, alleging that it is illegal for foreign nationals to vote in local school board elections because the funds were appropriated. The council is financed by the state.
The lawsuit states:
School budgets and school funding in Vermont are discretionary issues in the state. Brigham v. State, 166 Wt. 246-249 (1997), since the landmark decision, Vermont has equalized school funding throughout the state through its state funding system. As a result, votes on local school budgets affect the state budget and therefore the financial interests of Vermonters across the state. Once the school budget is approved by local voters, its funding becomes the responsibility of the state through the State Education Fund. (emphasis added)
Defendant now expanded the electorate defining educational issues to include noncitizens, despite the fact that these votes have significant municipal and extrastate consequences, and are therefore directly related to Section 42’s restriction on the voting rights of US citizens. (emphasis added)
By allowing foreign nationals to vote in Winooski, the RNC and Vermont GOP claim that the votes of resident US citizens will be “diminished by the votes of non-citizens” …
“The RNC and VTGOP also suggest that additional resources should be devoted to “get out the vote” and other electoral efforts, and to recruiting and supporting candidates who face an expanded voter pool that includes unconstitutional votes. in elections to the school board of non-citizens and in the education budget,” the court said.
The groups previously sued Winooski, as well as Montpelier, for allowing foreign nationals to vote in municipal elections. The state Supreme Court ruled that by granting the franchise to foreign nationals, settlements were within the scope of the Vermont Constitution.
Last week, voters in Burlington, Vermont, overwhelmingly approved a measure that would allow foreign nationals, including some illegal aliens, to vote in local elections. The charter change must now be approved by the state legislature and Gov. Phil Scott (R).
Business Weston vs. Winooski In the Superior Court of Civil Cases of Chittenden County.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jbinder@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter Here.
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