PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. (MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018) – On Monday, May 7, 2018, the town of Riverdale Park overhauled voting eligibility in municipal elections by expanding voting rights to all Residents regardless of citizenship status, lowering the voting age to 16 years of age, and providing same-day voter registration for municipal elections. The Riverdale Park Council passed the Charter Amendment Resolution 2018-CR-01 regarding Voter Registration and Elections with a sizeable majority vote of 4-2.
“With this ordinance, the city of Riverdale Park has shown the country that it is an unabashed champion of the immigrant community,” said Julio Murillo, CASA policy analyst. “Under the leadership of the Council, Riverdale Park has charted out a future with diverse and thriving communities living free from discrimination and fear, working together with mutual respect and human rights.”
Newly qualified residents of Riverdale Park – young and immigrant voters – must have lived in the municipality for 30 days to vote in municipal elections.
“We are now going to feel like we exist in this city,” said Riverdale Park resident and CASA member Roxana Reyes. “We will now have more rights, but, with that, comes more responsibility to take care of our city and to have the trust to communicate with the authorities when things don’t go right.”
With passage, Riverdale Park joins two other Prince George’s municipalities – the City of Hyattsville and the Town of Mount Rainier also allow all residents, regardless of immigration status, to vote in municipal elections. A further six municipalities in Montgomery County also have enfranchised immigrant voters.