NewsKQED News — San Francisco tagOctober 30, 2026San Francisco County
San Francisco Advocates Defend Noncitizen Voting Program Amid Federal Inquiries
Photo: KQED News — San Francisco tag
Advocates in San Francisco are urging the city to maintain a program allowing noncitizen parents to vote in local school board elections, despite growing pressure and federal investigations from the Trump administration into California voter rolls. City officials have refused federal demands for personal voter information, citing state and local law, while legal experts affirm the city's authority to manage local elections.
Read the full story at KQED News — San Francisco tagWhy It Matters
Eligible noncitizen parents in San Francisco face potential hesitation in exercising their local voting rights amid federal investigations involving hundreds of requested voter records and charges against legal residents elsewhere in the state.
Key Facts
- In 2016, San Francisco voters approved Measure N, granting noncitizen residents with a child in the school district the right to vote in Board of Education elections.
- A state appeals court ruled in 2022 that the city legally possesses the authority to include noncitizen parents in school board elections.
- During the 2022 school board recall, 235 eligible noncitizens participated using special ballots restricted to school board races.
- The U.S. Department of Justice requested the personal information of 441 individuals in San Francisco, including Social Security and driver's license numbers.
- City Attorney David Chiu refused the federal administration's request for voter records on Tuesday, stating it violated state and local law.
- A federal judge denied a request from the Trump administration to order California election officials to set aside 20,000 state ballots.
- Noncitizen voters in San Francisco use a separate form and are stored in a local database separate from the statewide system for citizen voters.
- Federal officials recently announced charges against 28 legal resident noncitizens in California for illegally voting or registering to vote.
Who's Mentioned
PersonDavid Chiu“City Attorney who refused federal requests for voter information”otherCalifornia Constitution“Document that grants cities the power to expand voting rights for local offices ”PersonEmily Rong Zhang“Assistant professor at UC Berkeley School of Law”locationOakland“City where voters approved a noncitizen voting program in 2022”otherMeasure N“2016 ballot measure approved by voters granting noncitizen residents the right t”OrganizationKQED“Media organization that received information from city officials about voter dat”OrganizationU.S. Department of Justice“Federal agency that sent letters to county registrars directing them to hold off”OrganizationSan Francisco Unified School District“School district where noncitizen parents with a child can vote for Board of Educ”OrganizationUC Berkeley School of Law“University institution associated with Emily Rong Zhang”OrganizationTrump administration“Federal administration scrutinizing election systems and investigating noncitize”OrganizationU.S. House of Representatives“Federal body for which noncitizens are barred from voting”locationWashington, D.C.“Jurisdiction that followed San Francisco in allowing noncitizens to vote locally”OrganizationUC Law San Francisco“University institution associated with Matt Coles”PersonAnnette Wong“Managing director of programs at Chinese for Affirmative Action”PersonMatt Coles“Professor at UC Law San Francisco”locationSan Francisco“City where noncitizen parents are permitted to vote in school board elections”OrganizationBoard of Education“City school board elected in part by eligible noncitizen parents”OrganizationChinese for Affirmative Action“Civil rights group whose managing director of programs commented on voter fear”