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Advancing social justice and building power with working-class Vietnamese and immigrant communities in Orange County. VY® Garden Grove, CA 92843 wwVr tIs�irOr ffy m;,m ll s> p; turns �;m; @vietriseoc November 7, 2023 Mayor Amezcua and City Council Members City of Santa Ana 22 Civic Center Plaza Santa Ana, CA 92701 RE: In Support of Agenda Item #39: Adopting a resolution to place a ballot measure permitting Noncitizen Voting in Municipal Elections on the 2024 General Election ballot. Dear Mayor Amezcua and Santa Ana City Council Members, On behalf of VietRISE, I urge you to vote in favor of Agenda Item #39 to adopt a resolution to place a ballot measure permitting Noncitizen Voting in Municipal Elections on the 2024 General Election ballot. Voting is an important mechanism for residents to uplift their voices and change their material conditions. In particular, voting is an entry point for immigrants and refugees to become civically engaged in their communities and allows them to directly express their concerns and preferences. We believe that all residents of voting age, regardless of immigration status, should be able to participate in local elections. An active electorate will directly translate into active residents invested in the development and improvement of their communities. Nearly one out of every four Santa Ana residents living in the City of Santa Ana are noncitizens. When accounting only for residents of voting age, about 30 percent of adults in Santa Ana are noncitizen residents. These are our neighbors and family members, who have helped create a vibrant Santa Ana through their direct investments, spending, and daily & yearly tax payments. Despite contributing so much, they continue to be disenfranchised and have been unable to make their voices heard at the ballot box, even though their livelihoods are directly impacted by the decisions made by the municipal government. The passage of noncitizen voting will lead to the enfranchisement of 5,646 Asian residents and 64,022 Latino residents. Over the past decade, the City of Santa Ana has been at the forefront of immigrant rights in Orange County. From supporting sanctuary cities to creating a Deportation Defense Fund and allowing noncitizen residents to serve on local commissions, enfranchising noncitizen residents to vote in local elections is a natural next step in furthering Santa Ana's commitment to removing barriers to participation in local government. While other Orange County cities are attempting to make voting more difficult, it is imperative that Santa Ana leads the way in showing a new alternative is possible. VietRISE urges you to vote yes on Agenda Item #39. Best regards, "2* Tracy La Executive Director of VietRISE