§611. Voting by aliens

(a) It shall be unlawful for any alien to vote in any election held solely or in part for the purpose of electing a candidate for the office of President, Vice President, Presidential elector, Member of the Senate, Member of the House of Representatives, Delegate from the District of Columbia, or Resident Commissioner, unless-

(1) the election is held partly for some other purpose;

(2) aliens are authorized to vote for such other purpose under a State constitution or statute or a local ordinance; and

(3) voting for such other purpose is conducted independently of voting for a candidate for such Federal offices, in such a manner that an alien has the opportunity to vote for such other purpose, but not an opportunity to vote for a candidate for any one or more of such Federal offices.

(b) Any person who violates this section shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

(c) Subsection (a) does not apply to an alien if-

(1) each natural parent of the alien (or, in the case of an adopted alien, each adoptive parent of the alien) is or was a citizen (whether by birth or naturalization);

(2) the alien permanently resided in the United States prior to attaining the age of 16; and

(3) the alien reasonably believed at the time of voting in violation of such subsection that he or she was a citizen of the United States.

(Added Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title II, §216(a), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–572 ; amended Pub. L. 106–395, title II, §201(d)(1), Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1635 .)

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 611, acts June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 724 ; Feb. 7, 1972, Pub. L. 92–225, title II, §206, 86 Stat. 10 ; Oct. 15, 1974, Pub. L. 93–443, title I, §§101(e)(2), 103, 88 Stat. 1267 , 1272, prohibited campaign contributions by government contractors, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 94–283, title II, §201(a), May 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 496 . See section 30119 of Title 52, Voting and Elections.

Amendments

2000-Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 106–395 added subsec. (c).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2000 Amendment

Pub. L. 106–395, title II, §201(d)(3), Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1636 , provided that: "The amendment made by paragraph (1) [amending this section] shall be effective as if included in the enactment of section 216 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–208; 110 Stat. 3009–572). The amendment made by paragraph (2) [amending section 1015 of this title] shall be effective as if included in the enactment of section 215 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–208; 110 Stat. 3009–572). The amendments made by paragraphs (1) and (2) shall apply to an alien prosecuted on or after September 30, 1996, except in the case of an alien whose criminal proceeding (including judicial review thereof) has been finally concluded before the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 30, 2000]."