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  4. The Right of Suffrage of Shosics (Noncitizens) in the United States

The Right of Suffrage of Shosics (Noncitizens) in the United States

File(s)
CastellanosCanales_cornellgrad_0058F_11972.pdf (11.83 MB)
Permanent Link(s)
https://doi.org/10.7298/4zq0-ep75
https://hdl.handle.net/1813/70392
Collections
Cornell Theses and Dissertations
Author
Castellanos Canales, Arturo
Abstract

Shosics―commonly known as noncitizens―cannot vote in virtually any election of the United States. Outrightly preventing them from participating in all electoral jurisdictions, on account of their citizenship, is unreasonable. As long as Shosics can demonstrate sufficient connections and roots to their place of residence, they should be allowed to participate in specific elections. This theory, called The Sufficient Connection Theory, provides a novel understanding of the demos in a democracy. The right of suffrage is a twofold fundamental right. It is a fundamental right per se enshrined in various laws and international treaties, and it is also fundamental because it is a manifestation of the right of freedom of expression. States are only allowed to hinder the right of suffrage of Shosics as long as they can prove a narrowly tailored compelling state interest. The state’s arguments to disenfranchise Shosics must be specifically crafted to suit the federal, state, county, city, town, village, or district elections. Each jurisdiction must give its own reasonable, proportional, and necessary justification. Shosics are neither explicitly nor implicitly disenfranchised in almost any state constitution of the United States. Except in Arizona and North Dakota, where the right of suffrage is an exclusive prerogative of American citizens, Shosics should be allowed to vote in all state, county, city, town, village, and district elections in the remaining forty-eight states.

Description
456 pages
Date Issued
2020-05
Keywords
elections
•
immigrants
•
non-citizens
•
noncitizens
•
suffrage
•
vote
Committee Chair
Yu, Xingzhong
Committee Member
Rana, Aziz
Lyon, Mary
Cabrera, Derek
Cabrera, Laura
Degree Discipline
Law
Degree Name
J.S.D., Law
Degree Level
Doctor of Science of Law
Type
dissertation or thesis
Link(s) to Catalog Record
https://catalog.library.cornell.edu/catalog/13254391

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