Letters from the Public - 3 of 4 — San Jose City Council, August 23, 2022

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Some people who received this message don't often get email from . Learn why this is important FW: Support the expansion of local voting rights to non-citizens in San Jose! Taber, Toni <
Tue 8/23/2022 9:44 AM
To:Agendadesk <

From: Juliana Ayala <
Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2022 9:44 AM
To: District1 < District2 < District3
< District4 < District5 < District 6
< District7 < District8 < District9
< District 10 <
Cc: Taber, Toni <
Subject: Support the expansion of local vong rights to non-cizens in San Jose!

Dear Councilmember, Magdalena Carrasco
Hi, my name is _Juliana Ayala, I am a community member of the City of San Jose, and I support the expansion of local voting rights to non-citizens in San Jose. Non-citizens are important to our community because they contribute directly to our economy, culture, and national and local development. Regardless of immigration status, residents of the city of San José must be guaranteed the right to elect their representatives to public office. Extending voting rights to non-citizen residents will transform San José into a more inclusive and democratic city, making San Jose an example for other communities in the United States.

I urge our council members to continue to dedicate the necessary time and resources to make non-citizen voting in San Jose a reality.

Please support the expansion of voting rights to all San Jose City residents.

Respectfully,

_Juliana Ayala _______

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This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. 22-605 - Non-Citizen Voting
Ted Earle <
Tue 8/23/2022 9:59 AM
To:City Clerk <
Cc: Ted Earle <
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It is rare that a truly misguided idea has the chance to come to light but this is one of those occasions.

We in San Jose, have so many challenging issues before us: declining quality of life, underperforming schools, homelessness, trash, spiking crime, drug use, rampant lawlessness, and poor morale in law enforcement just to name a few. To waste valuable legislative time and effort on this "issue" is a terrible disservice to the citizens of San Jose.

You all are our representatives and you need to represent the interests of the citizens of San Jose. Citizenship matters. Citizens have the legal right to representation, As "representatives" you represent the citizens of the United States of America who happen to reside in San Jose.

If you believe that you somehow do not represent the citizens of San Jose, then I would suggest that you fundamentally do not understand your job and are unqualified to hold the office of council member. If you believe you are an activist for non-citizen rights, then you should do the honorable thing and resign your office and go be an advocate.

We have so many serious problems here that require your legislative talent, time, and effort. Please get to work on the few I listed above and the many others that are challenging to everyone who is here in San Jose.

Ted Earle
District 9

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NO VOTES FOR ANY NON-CITIZENS HARBORING IN THE USA!!
Anita Chen <
Tue 8/23/2022 12:26 PM
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Is there any of you wanting to open your home to "strangers" & host them for all things? I bet none of you would say, "NO," You want to "guard" your living by closing your front & back doors and locking up. YOU WOULD HA VE NO RIGHT TO WANT ANYONE WHO IS NOT AN usa CITIZEN TO VOTE!! The San Jose Mercury News just published an article about both San Francisco and Oakland being sued over their similar proposals.

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Some people who received this message don't often get email from . Learn why this is important FW: Non-Citizen Voting
City Clerk <
Tue 8/23/2022 1:44 PM
To:Agendadesk <

From: Carol Loewen <
Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2022 1:32 PM
To: The Oﬃce of Mayor Sam Liccardo <TheOﬃ District1 < District2 < District3 < District4 < District5
< District 6 < District7 < District8
< District9 < District 10 < Reed, Jim
< Gomez, David < Sandoval, Vanessa <
Ramos, Chrisna M <chris Brown, Stacey < Lupercio, Adan < Groen, Mary Anne < McGarrity, Patrick
< City Clerk <
Cc: Carol Loewen <
Subject: Non-Cizen Vong

Mayor Liccardo, Councilmembers, I understand you may vote tonight on allowing non-citizen voting in San Jose.

While I am highly in favor of legal immigration, being the daughter of immigrants myself, I am strongly opposed to this action.

Why would we allow persons who are not paying State income tax, who are living off our taxes (and agreeably, some in deplorable conditions), and who have not studied the history of our nation and political and economic systems to have a say in our choice of leaders?

When we emigrated from Canada, my parents and brothers had to take a course in US History, and to take an oath before a judge before becoming US citizens (I was only 16 at the time so became naturalized automatically with my parents).

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Please do not give voting rights to those who have not put forth the time or effort to become citizens of our wonderful country-- and our terrific city. I believe you will be remiss in your duty if you support this vote.

Regards,
Carol Loewen
Carol Nicolet Loewen
According to his son, Franklin, Billy Graham once said, “Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.”
carolshope.com

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Study Session on Extending Municipal Voting Eligibility to all City Residents Brad Loos <
Tue 8/23/2022 3:25 PM
To:City Clerk <
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Thank you, in advance, for considering my position on the subject matter below:

The U S Constitution does not confer any innate right to vote based on citizenship, but it does delegate the responsibility to manage elections to states Currently, all states grant the right to vote to all citizens.

Today, all 50 state constitutions mention citizenship when outlining voting rights in elections, often using language like “every citizen” or “all citizens.” Before 2020, only Arizona and North Dakota specified in their state constitutions that as opposed to citizens, noncitizens do not have the right to vote in either state or local elections (federal law prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections).

V oting in a modern democracy is tied to citizenship and the duties and rights that attend it, which is why voting rights are generally limited to people who have established, either by birth or oath, a deep connection to the nation. Authorizing noncitizen voting would devalue citizenship, a bedrock of American life. Advocates may genuinely believe that it will enhance democracy—or they may have other agendas. In any case, by dulling the meaning of American self-governance, noncitizen voting is effectively anti-democratic.

But some state lawmakers and residents are trying to amend their constitutions to make sure that doesn’t happen. In the past three years, voters in Alabama, Colorado, Florida and North Dakota have enacted ballot initiatives that amend their state constitutions to ensure only U.S. citizens have the right to vote.

The idea that we would give legal voting rights to people who have not shown the loyalty to choose the United States over another country is stunning.

As we have witnessed in other local governments, providing local voting rights to noncitizens will lead to confusion. It could even lead to noncitizens accidentally and illegally voting in federal elections. When California and Illinois implemented laws in recent years that automatically register people to vote when they visit departments of motor vehicles, hundreds of noncitizens were accidentally registered to vote due to technical glitches. At least 16 noncitizens in Illinois cast a ballot because of the confusion. This probable confusion comes at a time when many Americans, including politicians, question the validity of the electoral process.

By allowing noncitizens to vote, they may have a voice in how funds, provided by taxpayers, are allocated. Municipal elections could have statewide funding implications.

Respectfully submitted,
Brad Loos
San Jose, CA 95124

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From: Maria Marnez <mmar
Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2022 5:38 PM
To: District5 <
Cc: Taber, Toni <
Subject: Support the expansion of local vong rights to non-cizens in San Jose!

Dear Councilmember Carrasco,
Hi, my name is Maria Martinez, I am a community member of the City of San Jose, and I support the expansion of local voting rights to non-citizens in San Jose. Non-citizens are important to our community because they contribute directly to our economy, culture, and national and local development. Regardless of immigration status, residents of the city of San José must be guaranteed the right to elect their representatives to public office. Extending voting rights to non-citizen residents will transform San José into a more inclusive and democratic city, making San Jose an example for other communities in the United States.

I urge our council members to continue to dedicate the necessary time and resources to make non-citizen voting in San Jose a reality.

Please support the expansion of voting rights to all San Jose City residents.

Respectfully,

Maria Martinez

San Jose City CouncilAugust 23, 2022

San Jose City Council
August 23, 2022