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Mayor Adams expressed reservations about a controversial bill passed under his predecessor that grants green card holders the right to vote in local elections.
“We’re going to look at the bill,” Adams told reporters Saturday at a press conference in Queens during his first day in office.
“One part of the bill I’m concerned about, the 30-day part. If someone is in the city for 30 days, they have the right to vote. That’s problematic to me,” said Adams, who had previously supported the legislation passed by a large majority of the City Council early last month.
People will be required to reside in the five boroughs for at least 30 days to be able to vote.
“I understand the importance of local elections but to give that power to someone that’s here for 30 days, I think that’s problem. And I need to, in the next couple of days, make a determination of what we’re going to do,” Adams said.
Nearly 800,000 New Yorkers are covered under the legislation, largely green card holders. The legislation does not allow lawful permanent residents or people with authorization to work who aren’t citizens to participate in federal or state elections.
Former Mayor de Blasio had questioned whether the bill was legally sound, but promised not to veto it. He also didn’t sign it before leaving office.
If Adams doesn’t act, the bill will automatically become law 30 days after it was passed.
Adams’ transportation commissioner and major backer, former Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez (D-Manhattan) was the primary sponsor of the bill.
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