In June 2026, the Los Angeles City Council once considered a proposal to allow non-U.S. citizens to vote in certain municipal elections, but withdrew it after facing significant controversy. The incident prompted many Vietnamese people in Southern California, including those who have held green cards for years, to wonder: who exactly has the right to vote in the United States, and do they themselves meet the requirements?
This article will explain the basic conditions for voting in the U.S., why the Los Angeles situation is a rare exception rather than a common rule, and special considerations for Vietnamese Americans — from those newly holding green cards to those who have become citizens but never registered to vote.
Voting rights in the U.S. are tied to citizenship, not to the number of years you have lived or paid taxes here.
Basic Requirements to Vote in the United States
The U.S. election system is managed at the state level, but there are some general principles that apply nationwide. According to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), to vote in federal and state elections, a person must simultaneously meet the following requirements: must be a U.S. citizen, must be at least 18 years old on Election Day, must be a legal resident of the state where they register to vote, and must complete voter registration before the deadline set by that state.
It must be made clear: having a green card, having a work visa, or even living in the U.S. legally for many decades does not mean you have the right to vote. The right to vote in federal, state, and most local elections is reserved exclusively for U.S. citizens. This regulation has existed throughout U.S. electoral history and is codified in federal law that prohibits non-citizens from voting in federal elections under U.S. Code, Section 611.
Why the Los Angeles Situation is an Exception, Not the Rule
The proposal discussed in Los Angeles never would have allowed non-citizens to vote in presidential, Senate, or House elections. It targeted only certain very narrow local elections, such as neighborhood councils. This is not entirely new: a few cities like San Francisco have allowed non-citizen parents to vote for members of the city school board, according to the San Francisco Department of Elections. However, this is an extremely rare exception, existing only at the local level in a handful of cities, and does not apply to federal or state elections anywhere in the United States.
In other words, if you are waiting for a city to allow you to vote for president before becoming naturalized, that is almost certainly not going to happen. But if you live in a city with a special local policy like San Francisco, understanding that city council's regulations in detail is necessary, as each place has its own rules.
If You Have a Green Card but Have Not Become a Citizen
Many Vietnamese people in the U.S., particularly those who came through family reunification or refugee programs years ago, still hold green cards (permanent resident status) but have not become citizens. The only path to voting rights is to become a U.S. citizen through the naturalization process.
According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the general requirements to apply for naturalization using Form N-400 include: having continuously held a green card for at least five years, or three years if married to a U.S. citizen; actually residing in the U.S. for at least half that time; being at least 18 years old; and passing an English test and U.S. civics test.
Here is a point many older Vietnamese people overlook: USCIS has a policy exempting the English portion of the exam for those age 50 or older who have continuously held a green card for 20 years, or age 55 or older who have held a green card for 15 years. These cases still must take the civics portion, but they can take the exam in Vietnamese with an interpreter. This is why many Vietnamese elderly in their 60s and 70s can still successfully become naturalized even if they do not speak English fluently.
Once the naturalization oath is administered, voting rights become effective immediately. Many local election offices, including those in Orange County and Houston, typically have voter registration tables at naturalization ceremonies so newly naturalized citizens can register on the spot.
If You Have a Criminal Conviction
This is the most confusing area because the laws differ significantly between states. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), some states like California restore voting rights immediately upon release from prison, even while still on parole. Other states, such as Texas, require that the person complete their entire sentence, including probation, before voting rights are restored. A few states have more complex procedures that require filing a separate petition to restore citizenship rights.
If someone in your family has had legal troubles and is unsure whether they still have voting rights, the safest approach is to contact the registrar of voters office in your county directly to ask specifically, as information online can sometimes be outdated.
Quick Comparison: Who Can Vote Where
| Group | Federal, state elections | Most local elections | Rare local exceptions |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. citizen, age 18+, registered | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Green card holder, not yet naturalized | No | No | Possibly, only in a few cities like San Francisco for school board elections |
| Visa holder (student, work) | No | No | No |
| Person without legal status | No | No | No |
How to Register to Vote Once You Meet the Requirements
Once you are certain you are a U.S. citizen and at least 18 years old, the next step is to register to vote, because in the U.S. no one is automatically added to the voting rolls unless the state has automatic registration policies through the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), as California does when obtaining or renewing a driver's license.
There are three common ways to register: register online through your state's election website, register by mail using a paper form sent to your county voter registrar's office, or register in person when conducting business at the DMV. Each state has different registration deadlines before Election Day, typically ranging from 15 to 30 days, so it is best to register as soon as possible rather than waiting until close to Election Day.
One note for Vietnamese people who frequently move between counties or states, such as from Houston to Orange County: each time you change your long-term residence address, you need to re-register to vote with the new address, as your voter record from the previous state does not automatically transfer.
What Matters Most for the Vietnamese Community
The most important thing to remember is that voting rights in the U.S. are tied to citizenship status, not to how long you have lived or paid taxes in America. With many Vietnamese families having settled for three or four decades but parents still holding green cards due to concerns about the process or English barriers, the shortest path to having a voice in elections — from choosing a president to deciding on local tax measures that directly affect family nail salons or restaurants — is still to complete the naturalization process. This is why proposals like the one in Los Angeles attracted attention: it touches on a question that many Vietnamese American families ask themselves each election season.