Local Suffrage Increases Citizenship Acquisition: Evidence from the European Union

How does local noncitizen enfranchisement affect citizenship? Although some contend suffrage reduces naturalization by removing a key benefit of citizenship, I argue that early suffrage can instead encourage naturalization. I test this theory in a quantitative case study and multiple cross-national analyses within the European Union (EU). First, I exploit origin-specific variation in access to Spain’s 2011 municipal elections to estimate the effect of non-EU suffrage on naturalization. Next, I explore this relationship beyond Spain, using bilateral Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development naturalization figures among 21 EU destinations and 131 non-EU origins between 2007 and 2014. Across each analysis, I find local voting rights increase formal membership. I further reveal these patterns are not present for other forms of immigrant political rights and are associated with increased immigrant identification with one’s state. Together, these findings challenge cost–benefit approaches to national membership, revealing local suffrage reinforces rather than degrades citizenship.