The Department of Elections is teaming up with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to ensure that new citizens are not left out in the upcoming November 5 election. According to the City and County of San Francisco, election officials will be present during naturalization ceremonies at the San Francisco Field Office, assisting brand-new Americans with voter registration.
Director John Arntz is leading the charge, emphasizing the importance of engaging new citizens at these ceremonies. "Our partnership with USCIS at naturalization ceremonies is a vital component of our outreach strategy", Arntz explained, as per the City and County of San Francisco. With teams attending USCIS events 1-2 days per week, they aim to turn hundreds of attendees into active voters. Attendees will receive guidance about their voting rights and responsibilities by merely attending the ceremonies.
New citizens are a significant source of new voter registrations, indicating a strong desire to participate in the democratic process. Eager to cast their ballots, new Americans have expressed their sentiments with feedback collected by the Department of Elections. "Voting is part of the reason I wanted to become a U.S. citizen", said one attendee, according to the City and County of San Francisco, providing a glimpse into the transformative moment of gaining citizenship and the right to vote.
