Can green card holders vote in the 2025 US elections?
Executive summary
Green-card holders (lawful permanent residents) are not eligible to vote in federal elections — including presidential, Senate and House contests — and most reputable sources state they generally cannot vote in state or local contests either, though a few municipalities permit limited noncitizen voting [1] [2] [3]. Illegal or mistaken voting by noncitizens is rare according to reporting and can carry serious immigration consequences, while naturalization is the pathway to full voting rights [2] [4].
1. Federal law reserves national ballots to citizens
Federal law and guidance repeatedly draw a bright line: only U.S. citizens may vote in federal elections, so green-card holders cannot legally vote for president, vice president, U.S. senators, or representatives [1] [5]. Multiple practical guides and government-facing sites make this clear: noncitizen participation in federal contests is prohibited [1] [3].
2. State and local rules are mostly exclusionary but not uniform
Most states and localities similarly bar lawful permanent residents from voting in state and local elections, and many legal guides and immigration firms warn that green-card holders “cannot vote in federal, state, and most local elections” [6] [7] [8]. However, reporting and explainers note limited exceptions: a small number of municipalities have enacted rules allowing noncitizen voting in certain municipal or school-board elections; those exceptions are specific, narrow, and uncommon [4] [2]. Election eligibility depends on local law, so the landscape is not completely uniform [4].
3. Legal and immigration consequences for unlawful voting
Authoritative sources warn that registering or voting when ineligible can have serious consequences. Guidance and law‑practice pages flag risks including criminal charges, deportation, or jeopardy to future naturalization if a noncitizen knowingly registers or votes unlawfully [4] [8] [1]. Migration Policy Center reporting adds that audits and research find noncitizen voting in federal/state contests to be extremely rare, despite periodic high‑profile claims [2].
4. Evidence shows noncitizen voting is not widespread
Independent analysis and election-audit reporting find “no evidence” that green-card holders or other noncitizens are voting in significant numbers in U.S. federal or state elections; claims of “millions” of noncitizen votes are unsupported in the sources provided [2]. The Migration Policy Center explains that verification and audits have typically shown isolated cases rather than systemic fraud [2].
5. How permanent residents can engage without voting
Green-card holders retain many civic avenues short of the ballot: they can volunteer for campaigns, donate to federal campaigns in some cases subject to rules for “foreign nationals,” participate in community advocacy, and prepare for naturalization so they can vote in future elections (available sources do not mention specific volunteer/donation rules beyond noting limits). Sources encourage civic engagement that does not contravene voting laws while emphasizing the path to voting is naturalization [1] [4].
6. Naturalization is the clear route to voting rights
Becoming a U.S. citizen grants the right to vote in federal, state, and local elections. The timeline and requirements vary (for example, many naturalization applicants must have been permanent residents for five years, or three if married to a U.S. citizen), and several sources frame naturalization as the legitimate route to full political rights [9] [6].
7. Practical advice and checks before acting
Authorities and legal guides advise green-card holders to avoid registering or voting unless they are certain of eligibility; some jurisdictions’ registration systems rely on self-attestation and mistakes can happen, sometimes leading to purges that even affected naturalized citizens [5] [2]. If a permanent resident is unsure about a specific local rule that might permit noncitizen municipal voting, consult local election officials before registering — local exceptions are rare and specific [4] [3].
Limitations and transparency: This briefing relies solely on the provided sources. Local ordinances that permit noncitizen voting are mentioned in these sources but specific municipal names and the detailed mechanics of those programs are not exhaustively listed here [4] [2]. If you want, I can pull the cited pages and list jurisdictions that currently allow noncitizen local voting as named in those sources.