Immigrant Rights Groups Flex Voting Power for Upcoming Ballot

SAN JOSE — On Tuesday, September 14 "Immigrants Vote!," announced their launch of its November 2nd electoral campaign. This new coalition of immigrant-based organizations seeks to unite, educate and mobilize diverse immigrant communities for the November election and maximize their voice to meet immigrant needs. Immigrants Vote!! will campaign on Yes votes for Proposition 24, 25 and Santa Clara County Measure A.

“Proposition 24 is a vote for fairness in closing corporate tax loopholes,” said David Sharples of Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment. “Proposition 25 is a vote for democracy by lowering the budget threshold from 2/3 to a simple majority, and Santa Clara County Measure A is a vote to keep our children healthy through Healthy Kids,” said Evelyn Sanchez, Civic Action Program Director at Somos Mayfair.

“Immigrants in California have major voting power. In Santa Clara County alone there are 746,000 voters, and 296,000 or 39% are immigrant voters. Any issue must win enough votes from the immigrant community to have a successful campaign,” said Cesar Juarez, Organizing Director at SIREN.

This press conference was one of two press conferences and is part of a statewide effort of "Mobilize the Immigrant Vote." The other press conference was in Los Angeles, and also announced their effort to mobilize the immigrant vote.

Immigrants Vote! is a newly formed partnership with Mobilize the Immigrant Vote (MIV). Members of Immigrants Vote! include Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), Asian American Center of Santa Clara County, Californians for Justice-San Jose chapter, Filipino Community Support (FOCUS), Services, Immigrant Rights, and Education Network (SIREN), Somos Mayfair, and Student Advocates for Higher Education. MIV is a statewide collaborative in California that organizes a multi-ethnic coalition of community-based organizations working within immigrant communities for electoral participation. SIREN is a steering committee member of Mobilize the Immigrant Vote.

“Immigrants comprise 38% of the Santa Clara County population. If their children are included, immigrants and their children make over 52% of the county population,” said Sherwin Mendoza, member of FOCUS. “That is why Immigrants Vote! is so powerful and needed. We aim to bring diverse immigrant communities together to flex their electoral power and make the changes necessary for a healthier and stronger community.”