Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said she is open to reviewing whether noncitizens should be allowed to vote in certain local elections, putting the idea back into public discussion in a city already dealing with multiple political flashpoints. The remarks were made in an interview with Politico, and come as similar proposals continue to circulate in select Democrat-run jurisdictions across the country. Bass stopped short of endorsing a final policy, but made clear the concept is something she is willing to consider.
During the exchange, Politico reporter Melanie Mason asked: “I know that there are some cities that already do this, but you know, politics is all about timing. With Donald Trump in the White House, is this the right time for Los Angeles to go down this path?” Bass responded, “Well, I think we need to explore it. Now, I’ve not seen exactly what he’s calling for. I have a little familiarity of what happens in other cities, and for example, some cities will allow people to vote in, like, city council and school board elections, because they pay local taxes, but they are not necessarily undocumented.”
She added further clarification: “They might be here completely legally, but have not finished the citizenship process. So we’ll wait and see,” she added.
The issue has become another talking point in the city’s mayoral contest, where Bass is facing an active challenge from independent candidate Spencer Pratt. Pratt, a political outsider who has gained visibility through viral campaign messaging, argues that Democratic leadership is responsible for many of the city’s ongoing problems and has leaned heavily into digital outreach to push that message.
At a recent debate, Bass was pressed again on the question of noncitizen voting. She said, “It depends. It’s not a yes or no.” Pratt responded directly during the same exchange, saying “no.”
Federal law bars noncitizens from voting in federal elections.
