Can Green Card Holders Vote? What Permanent Residents Need to Know in 2026

Can green card holders vote? In general, no. Lawful permanent residents cannot vote in U.S. federal elections, and they generally cannot vote in state elections or most local elections. The key distinction is that a green card gives a person lawful permanent resident status, not U.S. citizenship. Current federal guidance continues to identify permanent legal residents among those who cannot vote in federal, state, and most local elections.

This rule remains especially important as the 2026 election cycle approaches. Federal law continues to prohibit noncitizens from voting in elections involving federal offices, including the president, vice president, U.S. senators and members of the House of Representatives. The prohibition applies to lawful permanent residents as well as other noncitizens.

There are, however, narrow local exceptions. A small number of municipalities and the District of Columbia allow eligible noncitizen residents to vote in specific local elections. Those rules do not give green card holders a general right to vote throughout the United States.

For most permanent residents, the practical answer is straightforward: a green card does not provide the right to vote in federal elections.

The green card renewal process can vary depending on several factors. Read more about the latest green card renewal timeline and what applicants should know here.

What Does a Green Card Actually Mean?

A green card, formally called a Permanent Resident Card, establishes that a person has lawful permanent resident status in the United States.

Permanent residents can generally live and work in the country on a long-term basis while maintaining their immigration status. They can also qualify for naturalization after meeting the applicable requirements.

Citizenship and permanent residence remain legally different statuses. Voting rights are one of the major differences.

U.S. citizenship provides the right to vote in federal elections when the voter otherwise meets applicable registration and eligibility requirements. Permanent resident status does not.

The federal government continues to identify voting as one of the rights that comes with U.S. citizenship. USCIS also describes the right to vote as one of the benefits associated with becoming a U.S. citizen through naturalization.

That distinction matters because having a Social Security number, driver’s license, state identification card, work authorization, or green card does not itself establish eligibility to vote in federal elections.

Why Permanent Residents Cannot Vote in Federal Elections

Federal law specifically addresses voting by noncitizens.

Section 611 of Title 18 of the U.S. Code makes it unlawful for an alien to vote in an election held wholly or partly to elect candidates for federal offices. The law covers the presidency, vice presidency, presidential electors, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, the District of Columbia delegate and Puerto Rico’s resident commissioner.

The current federal statute also establishes a potential penalty for violating the provision. A person who violates the law may face a fine, imprisonment for up to one year, or both.

The federal restriction has been in place since Congress enacted the relevant provision in 1996. Its current text remains in effect in 2026.

That means a permanent resident cannot lawfully vote for:

• President of the United States
• Vice president
• U.S. senators
• Members of the U.S. House of Representatives
• Presidential electors
• District of Columbia delegate
• Puerto Rico resident commissioner

The prohibition does not depend on how long someone has held a green card.

A person who has been a permanent resident for a few months and someone who has held permanent resident status for decades are both noncitizens until they become U.S. citizens.

Can Green Card Holders Vote in State Elections?

Green card holders generally cannot vote in statewide elections.

State election rules vary, but current nationwide information shows that noncitizens do not have a general right to participate in statewide elections. The limited exceptions that exist involve certain local jurisdictions rather than statewide contests.

Statewide elections can include contests for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state legislators and other statewide offices.

A permanent resident should therefore not assume that a local exception allows participation in a state election.

For example, a municipality may create a separate local voting system for eligible noncitizens. That system does not automatically allow those voters to participate in elections administered by the state.

This separation is important because some jurisdictions use separate voter registration systems or ballots for noncitizen local voters. Federal law specifically permits a mixed election to include a local contest for which noncitizens are authorized to vote only when voting for the federal candidates is conducted independently and noncitizens do not receive an opportunity to vote for those federal candidates.

Can Permanent Residents Vote in Local Elections?

In most places, no. But local elections are where the rules become more complicated.

Federal law prohibits noncitizen voting in federal elections but allows certain local voting arrangements when state law or local ordinances authorize them and the voting process keeps federal races separate.

Several local jurisdictions have adopted rules allowing eligible noncitizens to vote in particular municipal elections.

The most notable current examples include:

These exceptions are narrow. They do not transform permanent residents into general U.S. voters.

The National Conference of State Legislatures continues to identify Vermont municipalities, certain California school-board elections, Washington, D.C., and Maryland municipalities among jurisdictions where noncitizens can legally participate in specified local elections.

Washington, D.C. Has a Specific Local Voting Exception

Washington, D.C. provides one of the clearest examples of a local exception.

The District’s Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act allows qualified non-U.S. citizen residents to vote in D.C. local elections. The policy took effect for elections beginning in 2024.

Eligible noncitizen residents can participate in elections for local offices such as:

• Mayor
• D.C. attorney general
• D.C. Council members
• State Board of Education members
• Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners
• Certain local ballot measures

The D.C. Board of Elections expressly states that noncitizens cannot vote for federal offices.

The District also uses a separate registration process for non-U.S. citizen residents. Their ballots are limited to local contests rather than federal races.

This distinction is particularly important for permanent residents living in the nation’s capital. A green card holder who meets D.C.’s local eligibility requirements may have a legal opportunity to participate in certain D.C. elections, but that person still cannot vote for president or members of Congress.

D.C.’s 2026 election information also includes sample ballots specifically designated for noncitizen residents, confirming that the local voting system remains active during the current election cycle.

Vermont Also Allows Limited Local Noncitizen Voting

Vermont has another significant group of local exceptions.

Burlington’s charter allows certain legal residents who are not U.S. citizens to vote in local city and Burlington School District elections. The rules require the voter to meet specific conditions, including being a legal U.S. resident, residing in Burlington and completing the required voter registration process.

The law specifically states that it does not change a noncitizen’s ability to vote in state or federal elections.

That means a qualifying permanent resident in Burlington may participate in certain local elections while remaining ineligible for statewide and federal contests.

Montpelier and Winooski also have local provisions permitting certain noncitizen residents to vote.

The Vermont Supreme Court addressed the Burlington system in 2026. The court upheld the local voting arrangement in a case challenging noncitizen participation in Burlington school elections. The ruling reinforced the distinction between local elections and statewide elections under Vermont law.

Maryland Has Multiple Local Exceptions

Maryland has an unusual structure because certain municipalities can establish their own rules for local elections.

Several Maryland municipalities permit noncitizen residents to vote in municipal elections. Takoma Park has allowed noncitizens to vote in local elections since the 1990s. Other municipalities have adopted similar policies over time.

These municipal elections are separate from Maryland’s state and federal elections.

Maryland’s statewide voter registration system requires U.S. citizenship. The state’s election information lists U.S. citizenship as a qualification for registering to vote in Maryland elections.

That creates an important distinction:

A noncitizen may qualify to vote in a particular Maryland municipal election without being eligible to vote in Maryland’s statewide or federal elections.

Permanent residents should therefore check the exact municipality and election before registering or casting a ballot.

What About San Francisco and Oakland?

California generally requires U.S. citizenship for voting in federal, state and almost all local elections.

There are limited local exceptions.

San Francisco permits qualifying noncitizen parents, guardians or legally recognized caregivers to vote in school board elections under its local rules. The city’s immigrant affairs information states that noncitizens who qualify under the program may vote only in San Francisco Board of Education elections.

They cannot use that registration to vote in other federal, state or local elections.

Oakland has also approved a local framework allowing qualifying noncitizen residents to participate in school board elections. These arrangements are examples of how a local voting right can be narrowly defined rather than extending to an entire election ballot.

California’s statewide rules remain different. The state’s official 2026 ballot analysis states that U.S. citizenship is required for federal and state elections and almost all local elections.

New York City Does Not Currently Provide This Exception

New York City is an important example because it once attempted to create a broader local voting system for noncitizens.

New York City adopted Local Law 11, which would have allowed certain lawful permanent residents and other eligible noncitizens to vote in municipal elections.

The law was challenged in court.

New York’s courts ultimately ruled that the measure was invalid under the New York State Constitution and Municipal Home Rule Law. As a result, the proposed system was never put into effect.

Current New York City Board of Elections guidance requires voters to be U.S. citizens to register for regular city elections.

Therefore, holding a green card does not currently provide a general municipal voting right in New York City.

This example demonstrates why permanent residents should not rely on national headlines or information from another city when determining their own eligibility.

What Happens If a Green Card Holder Registers to Vote?

Registering to vote as a noncitizen can create serious immigration concerns.

USCIS has specific guidance addressing unlawful voter registration, unlawful voting and false claims to U.S. citizenship. The agency updated its policy in 2025 and stated that it may take enforcement action involving aliens who falsely claim U.S. citizenship or vote unlawfully.

The risk can be particularly serious when a person knowingly indicates that they are a U.S. citizen on a voter registration application.

USCIS distinguishes between situations in which someone knowingly makes a false citizenship claim and situations involving an accidental or administrative mistake. The circumstances can matter when immigration officials evaluate a person’s case.

A permanent resident should never check a box stating that they are a U.S. citizen simply because a voter registration application appears alongside a driver’s license or another government form.

The citizenship question should be read carefully before submitting any voter registration application.

Does Accidentally Registering Automatically Mean Deportation?

There is no simple one-size-fits-all answer.

Immigration consequences depend on what happened, what the person represented, whether the person actually voted, the applicable election law and other facts.

USCIS guidance recognizes distinctions involving voter registration, actual voting and false claims of citizenship. The agency’s current policy also emphasizes enforcement involving unlawful voting and false citizenship claims.

That does not mean every accidental registration produces the same legal outcome.

However, a permanent resident should take any voter-registration mistake seriously. Immigration status can make an election-related error more consequential than it would be for a U.S. citizen.

If a permanent resident discovers that they were incorrectly registered or believes they may have voted when they were not eligible, getting advice from a qualified immigration attorney is prudent before taking further action.

Does Having a Green Card for Many Years Change Voting Eligibility?

No.

The length of time a person has held permanent resident status does not automatically create federal voting rights.

A person can hold a green card for five years, 10 years, 20 years or longer and remain ineligible to vote in federal elections until becoming a U.S. citizen.

The important change occurs when the person becomes a citizen through naturalization or another lawful process.

USCIS explains that a person is not a U.S. citizen through naturalization until completing the Oath of Allegiance at the naturalization ceremony.

After citizenship is established, the person can register to vote subject to the applicable election rules.

What Changes After Naturalization?

Naturalization changes the legal status that determines voting eligibility.

A person who becomes a U.S. citizen can register to vote if they meet the applicable federal, state and local requirements.

The normal voter qualifications still apply. These can include age, residency, registration deadlines and other state-specific rules.

USAGov states that U.S. citizens who meet the relevant requirements can vote in federal, state and local elections, while noncitizens, including permanent legal residents, generally cannot.

This is why citizenship status should be checked before completing any voter registration form.

How Permanent Residents Should Handle Election Forms

Permanent residents may encounter voter registration information at driver’s license offices, government agencies, naturalization events or other locations.

The safest approach is to verify eligibility before registering.

A green card holder should:

• Read the citizenship question carefully.
• Do not claim to be a U.S. citizen unless citizenship has actually been obtained.
• Do not register for federal elections as a permanent resident.
• Do not assume a local voting exception applies to state or federal races.
• Check the rules of the specific municipality if local noncitizen voting exists.
• Keep local and federal voter registrations separate when the jurisdiction requires separate systems.
• Seek qualified legal advice if an incorrect registration or vote has already occurred.

These precautions are especially important because voter registration applications commonly contain an explicit citizenship certification.

What Is the Current Rule for 2026?

The current national rule is straightforward.

Permanent residents are not generally eligible to vote in U.S. elections. They cannot vote in federal elections, and they cannot vote in statewide elections. Most local elections also require citizenship.

The exceptions are limited and local.

As of the latest 2026 information, certain jurisdictions in Maryland, Vermont, California and Washington, D.C. maintain local voting rules that allow eligible noncitizens to participate in specified municipal or school elections. Those rules do not provide a nationwide voting right to green card holders.

At the same time, states continue to consider and enact election laws addressing citizenship requirements. NCSL’s 2026 legislative tracking shows continued activity involving citizenship verification, voter registration and constitutional provisions concerning voter eligibility.

That makes checking the exact election and jurisdiction especially important in 2026.

The Bottom Line for Green Card Holders

The answer is generally no: a green card does not give a person the right to vote in federal elections.

Permanent residents cannot vote for president, vice president, U.S. senators or members of the House of Representatives. They also generally cannot participate in state elections.

A limited number of local jurisdictions have created lawful exceptions for noncitizen residents. Those exceptions can cover municipal offices, school board elections or local ballot measures, depending on the jurisdiction.

The most important point is that permanent residence is not the same as citizenship.

A person who wants full voting rights must generally become a U.S. citizen and then register under the applicable election rules.

For permanent residents, the safest approach is to verify eligibility before registering or casting any ballot. A local exception should never be assumed to extend to federal or statewide races.

If you have experience navigating voting rules as a permanent resident, share your experience in the comments and stay updated as election laws continue to change.