In a move that is already sparking debate far beyond California, the Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to place a proposal on the November ballot asking voters whether noncitizens should be allowed to vote in city elections.

The proposal was introduced by Councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez and would expand voting eligibility in city and Los Angeles Unified District elections to include certain categories of noncitizens.

According to reports, Soto-Martinez said the measure could apply to individuals holding Temporary Protected Status, permanent legal residents, and recipients of DACA protections.

Supporters frame the proposal as an effort to expand civic participation at the local level and give more residents a voice in decisions affecting their communities.

Critics, however, immediately raised concerns about implementation and election integrity, particularly surrounding how officials would distinguish between legal noncitizens and individuals without legal status during the voting process. As of the discussion surrounding the proposal, it remained unclear what mechanisms—if any—would be used at the ballot box to make that distinction.

The proposal has also reignited broader political arguments over voting access and previous assurances from Democratic leaders that expanding voting rights to noncitizens was not part of the agenda. Because in politics, nothing says “that’s not happening” quite like scheduling a vote on whether it should happen.

Now, the question moves to voters.

Supporters argue the proposal reflects the reality of modern communities and local representation, while opponents see it as another major shift in election policy that deserves close public scrutiny.

As Los Angeles prepares for the November ballot, the debate is likely to become one of the most closely watched local political battles in the country.