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November 7, 2023 Santa Ana City Council 20 Civic Center Plaza Santa Ana, CA 92701 Re: Support and Amendments for Agenda Item #39 - Placing Noncitizen Voting on the November 2024 General Election Ballot Dear Mayor Valerie Amezcua and Santa Ana City Council Members, We write as organizations who serve Santa Ana residents and who are dedicated to advancing democratic inclusion in our community. We're excited to witness the City Council's ongoing efforts in expanding the franchise for local elections, and we extend our gratitude to the city staff for their hard work in crafting the resolution and ballot measure language. The City of Santa Ana is steadily advancing towards the goal of enabling every resident to engage in the city's democratic process and have their voices heard at the ballot box. Voters often find ballot measures anxiety -inducing, primarily because they are commonly filled with confusing or lengthy language. To boost voter participation and ensure the measure's content is crystal clear, we strongly recommend that the City Council revise the proposed ballot measure question for enhanced clarity and brevity. We urge the city council to change the proposed ballot measure language from: "Shall the City of Santa Ana City Charter be amended to allow, City residents who are not citizens of the United States to vote in all City of Santa Ana municipal elections at which municipal officers are elected, ballot measures are considered, and initiatives and referenda are proposed, in accordance with ordinances, policies, and regulations to be adopted by the City Council in order to implement the charter amendment prior to the November 2026 general municipal election?" to: "Shall the City of Santa Ana City Charter be amended to allow, by the November 2026 general municipal election, noncitizen City residents, including those who are taxpayers and parents, to vote in all City of Santa Ana municipal elections?" This language is clear, concise, and straightforward, making it easier for voters to clearly understand what they will be voting on. By simplifying the language, we enhance the accessibility and understandability of the voting information, reflecting our commitment to making it as easy as possible for people to vote in every way. This version of the measure question can be accomplished by defining municipal elections in the city charter text itself rather than in the question. Attached are further revisions to the resolution we are suggesting for your amendment. Sincerely, Page 1 of 2