Should Dual Citizens Be Allowed To Vote In Only One Country?

[TCBF]

- Should Dual Citizens Be Allowed To Vote In Only One Country?

I only get to vote for one federal representative, why should they get to vote for two?  Your thoughts?

 

[CougarKing]

I know someone who has dual citizenship in both the United States and the Philippines; the latter recognizes dual citizenship, but does not allow their citizens to vote in their elections unless they submit an affidavit to a local embassy that they are returning to that country with 6-18 months, if I can recall correctly.

Yes, there are many here who complain about "citizenship/passport" of convenience. However, it all boils down to which govt. recognizes which. If you are an immigrant and your home country recognizes your Canadian citizenship and allows you to vote in Canadian elections without losing their original citizenship, then thus you probably have the priviliege of voting in both nations. Someone here can pass a law banning dual citizens from voting in the country of their other passport, but if the other country doesn't recognize it, then there's nothing we can do unless that law holds within it the penalty of losing one's Canadian citizenship if they vote in that other country or join its military, etc. It all depends on the country.

TCBF,
Here is a link that you might find interesting, but please don't assume that everyone who has dual citizenshp has the right to vote in their country of origin as well.

http://www.multiplecitizenship.com/worldsummary.html

 

[TCBF]

Educational link!  Thank-you.

 

[Reccesoldier]

Well constitutionally every Citizen of Canada reaching the age of 18 is guaranteed the vote.  So are you suggesting that Canada tell other nations that these dual citizens should not be allowed to vote in their country?

 

[TCBF]

I wasn't looking to resolve an issue, I was looking to identify it.  In Canada, we can come from other cities but only vote for mayor in the one we reside in.  We can only vote in one provincial election.  Why would some world citizens get to vote for leaders in more than one country?

 

[CougarKing]

I wasn't looking to resolve an issue, I was looking to identify it.  In Canada, we can come from other cities but only vote for mayor in the one we reside in.  We can only vote in one provincial election.  Why would some world citizens get to vote for leaders in more than one country?

Simply because they can, in the case when the other country's govt. isn't too concerned if you vote in both Canada and their country; IMHO, I think it's a priviliege. Like I said earlier, whether such dual-citizens have the priviliege to vote in both Canada and that other country depends on whether the other nation even recognizes dual citizenship as well.

Even if they pass a law here in Canada preventing dual citizenship holders from voting here, you still can't stop them voting in the other country where they hold citizenship; furthermore, should voting in another country's election be considered a crime that a penalty for it would mean the loss of your Canadian citizenship? Perhaps or perhaps not.

But perhaps you are right; if they are still so involved and concerned with that other country's politics that they intend to vote there, then maybe perhaps they don't deserve the right to vote here. Maybe.

Well anyways, if you look up the above link I gave you and looked up Canadian citizenship laws, you will see it states that any naturalized Canadian citizen who has been living abroad (presumably this just applies to civilians in certain situations) for over ten years who has not taken steps to maintain their citizenship might involuntarily lose their citizenship or have it revoked.

INVOLUNTARY: The following are grounds for involuntary loss of naturalized Canadian citizenship: Naturalized citizenship was obtained through fraud or false statement. Naturalized citizen has spent more than 10 years living abroad.

http://www.multiplecitizenship.com/wscl/ws_CANADA.html

Therefore, I take it that any naturalized citizen who uses Canadian citizenship as merely a "citizenship of convenience" and goes back to their nation of origin and lives there again long enough to care to vote- maybe ten years- then perhaps the above rule prevents such abuse because of its consequences.

 

[Blackadder1916]

I wasn't looking to resolve an issue, I was looking to identify it.  In Canada, we can come from other cities but only vote for mayor in the one we reside in.  We can only vote in one provincial election.  Why would some world citizens get to vote for leaders in more than one country?

What other countries do is their business, but some rare countries (like the USA) require their citizens to pay taxes based on citizenship, even if they are no longer resident in that country or even if they have another citizenship.  If you want the rights of US citizenship (including voting from outside the country) you have to pay your taxes.  I'm sure that other countries impose certain responsibilities on their citizens if they want the rights of that citzenship, including voting.

Canada also has requirements for voting from outside the country.

Voting by Canadians Residing Outside Canada

Voter eligibility criteria

To vote, you must be a Canadian citizen and be 18 years of age or older on polling day.

You may register to vote by special ballot using the form in this guide provided:

a.  you resided in Canada at any time before applying for registration;
b.  you have resided outside Canada for less than five consecutive years since your last return to Canada (some exceptions apply); and
c.  you intend to resume residence in Canada.

 

[Blackadder1916]

. . .  So are you suggesting that Canada tell other nations that these dual citizens should not be allowed to vote in their country?

Well in at least one case Canada has told dual citizens (resident in Canada) they can not only vote but run for office in the country of other citizenship.

Minister Bernier Announces Government of Canada Approval for Italian-Canadian Citizens to Participate in Italian Elections

February 15, 2008  No. 35
The Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that the Government of Canada will permit the application of Italy’s electoral law in Canada on a one-time, conditional basis.

“The Government of Canada will permit Italian-Canadians who hold dual citizenship and Italians who are permanent residents of Canada to run for office in the recently called Italian elections, and to represent the Italian-Canadian community in Italy’s parliament,” said Minister Bernier. “This decision only applies to the upcoming Italian elections and is subject to strict conditions, close monitoring and a post-election review.”

Italy’s law on election reform, known as the “Tremaglia Law,” was passed in January 2002. It created 18 new seats in Italy’s parliament for Italians living abroad, including permanent residents and dual citizens.

The Government of Canada has imposed the following conditions on the application of the law:

•        voting and election campaigning may take place only by mail, via email and the Internet, or at Italian diplomatic missions or consulates in Canada;
•        the Italian government must reinforce its capacity to monitor the campaign for any violations;
•        remedial actions will be taken by the Government of Italy on any violations of the conditions, up to and including the potential disqualification of candidates.

Canada has also advised the Italian government that it will monitor the election campaign to ensure that activities are in strict conformity with the above conditions.

 

[The Bread Guy]

The announcement seems to be a pretty recent solution to an issue that's been around a while....

I vaguely recall one of the first diaspora candidates to win a seat in one of the first post-war Croat parliamentary elections was a Canadian as well.

I'm kinda torn - one should pick a team, so to speak, but if one can still contribute concretely to both teams (without breaking either of the team's laws), why not?

 

[Bigrex]

Being someone who had dual citizenship until  joined the forces at 19, I  can understand someone wanting to vote in their country of origin, especially if they still have family there and visit regularly, but most countries would most likely require proof of residency, not citizenship to vote. you don't show your birth certificate when you go down to the polling station, you show your valid drivers license or some other form of ID that shows your mailing address.  Even then, I believe you have to be on the polling stations list of voters to to allowed to vote, this is to keep people from voting outside of their ridings and possibly affecting the outcome of elections.

 

[Neill McKay]

- Should Dual Citizens Be Allowed To Vote In Only One Country?

I only get to vote for one federal representative, why should they get to vote for two?  Your thoughts?

My thought is that it's neither country's business what a dual citizen does in the other -- barring really loathsome issues like getting involved in the pornography industry or whatever.  Canadian citizens have the right to travel abroad any time they like, do anything legal in whatever country they wish to visit, and come home when they're done.  As long as we're willing to allow dual citizenship in Canada I don't think I'd want to see it any other way.

 

[muskrat89]

I've lived in the US for 15 years. Why should I be allowed to influence (by voting) the politics of Canada if I choose not to reside there? Sorry, but I don't see it. I can only work for one company at a time. I can't expect to continue to wield influence at the company I left 2 years ago...

 

[Neill McKay]

I've lived in the US for 15 years. Why should I be allowed to influence (by voting) the politics of Canada if I choose not to reside there? Sorry, but I don't see it. I can only work for one company at a time.

But lots of people work for two employers at a time (including quite a lot of reservists).

I can't expect to continue to wield influence at the company I left 2 years ago...

True enough, but your metaphor isn't a perfect fit.  It's not generally allowed for someone to remain on a company's payroll if he never shows up for work.  But in the case of citizenship, for good or for ill Canada allows people to keep its citizenship even if they don't live here.  A residency requirement for keeping one's citizenship would be fair, but we don't have one now.

I do have to ask, though: if a person doesn't keep any residence in Canada, how would they determine in what constituency he would vote?

 

[muskrat89]

I guess, from a practical point of view - I don't feel , personally, like I am involved/informed enough on provincial or federal issues to cast an objective, informed vote in an election. I don't think that would change regardless of whether I lived in Canada 4-8 months of the year, and the US the other portion.