Override Failure Brings Call for Non-Citizens to Vote

Earlier this week, Franklin Matters published a “Voices of Franklin” post by School Committee member, KP Sompally seeking a possible path to get to a win in future override votes.

“A significant issue has come to the forefront in the Town of Franklin as more than 150 families, who are legal taxpayers but not citizens, are currently denied the right to vote on crucial school budgetary matters. In a community where the school is a vital institution for all residents, it's imperative that every voice is heard and valued,” he wrote.

“The school belongs to every resident of the Town of Franklin, regardless of their citizenship status. These residents contribute to the town's wellbeing and its educational system through their taxes, and they should have a say in how school funds are allocated,” he continued.

Sompally went on to cite the need for “inclusivity and fairness,” and asked for the “Election Commissioner and all advocates of voting rights” to support this change.

While Sompally’s proposal might appeal to some, Franklin’s Town Clerk, Nancy Danello, who is in charge of all elections, said the change Sompally proposes would be impossible for the town to implement, even by creating a local statute, since only citizens are allowed to vote by state law.

Indeed, Danello said she had made sure to check with an attorney at the Elections Division of the Secretary of State, who confirmed that even in local matters, non-citizens are not allowed to vote.

But, Danello admitted, that could change; proposals for non-citizen voting have surfaced elsewhere in recent years.