A local landscaping business in St. Louis received union mailers addressed to their migrant worker employees, who are non-U.S. citizens from Mexico. The mailers encouraged them to vote for specific candidates in the presidential election. The business, preferring to remain anonymous, expressed confusion over why the union would send such mailers to non-U.S. citizens who are legally in the country on H2B visas.
Efforts to seek clarification from the Washington, D.C.-based union LiUNA were unsuccessful, despite multiple attempts to contact them. Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, responsible for overseeing elections in the state, emphasized the importance of verifying voters’ citizenship before registering and casting their votes. He highlighted the measures in place in Missouri to ensure the integrity of the voting process, including identity verification requirements.
Ashcroft pointed out that any non-U.S. citizen voting in an election would not only violate local laws but also federal statutes. He mentioned the potential consequences for individuals who mistakenly vote without being eligible, including implications for their citizenship status. While studies have shown minimal instances of noncitizens voting in past elections, Ashcroft emphasized the importance of upholding the law and preventing any unauthorized voting.
The Secretary of State’s Office is actively monitoring voter registration and participation to detect any irregularities, with a focus on ensuring that only eligible individuals are allowed to vote. Ashcroft commended those non-citizens who have come forward to report instances of being wrongly registered to vote, emphasizing the significance of following the law and respecting the electoral process.
In response to the situation, the Missouri Democratic Party provided a statement indicating that unions often communicate with their members on various issues, even if not all of those issues are relevant to every individual. Despite the lack of a direct response from LiUNA, the party highlighted the nature of union communications and the broad scope of topics covered in such outreach efforts.
