Why is the MoCo election ballot in english and spanish? Only citizens can vote, right?

[Anonymous]

This is such a stupid question - it must be a troll

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Wow, calm down.

In order to become a naturalized citizen, you have to demonstrate proficiency at written english. That's a fact.

Who are you talking about?

Also do you insult everyone who asks questions? Worms are very useful creatures, so I'm not too hurt.

As someone who is a naturalized citizen I can tell you that you’re a 100% wrong.

Hi op here. See Chapter 2 of the US policy manual on citizenship and immigrations:

An officer administers a naturalization test to determine whether an applicant meets the English and civics requirements.
The naturalization test consists of two components:

English language proficiency, which is determined by the applicant’s ability to read, write, speak and understand English; and
Knowledge of U.S. history and government, which is determined by a civics test.
An applicant has two opportunities to pass the English and civics tests: the initial examination and the re-examination interview. USCIS denies the naturalization application if the applicant fails to pass any portion of the tests after two attempts. In cases where an applicant requests a USCIS hearing on the denial, officers must administer any failed portion of the tests.

https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-12-part-e-chapter-2#:~:text=English%20language%20proficiency%2C%20which%20is,failed%20portion%20of%20the%20tests.

So I guess I'm right after all!

STOP CHERRY-PICKING DATA.

Naturalized citizens can be exempted from this English test, particularly family reunification green card holders.
Also, the test is very easy, and for MULTIPLE DECADES now, a good many states have translated all their official documents into Spanish so they can make governmental processes easier for everyone.

Uncultured capybara.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Wow, calm down.

In order to become a naturalized citizen, you have to demonstrate proficiency at written english. That's a fact.

Who are you talking about?

Also do you insult everyone who asks questions? Worms are very useful creatures, so I'm not too hurt.

NP here. Sorry OP but you are wrong. My elderly aunt who barely speaks a word of English just became a naturalized US citizen. Her kids immigrated here many decades ago thanks to the visa lottery. And they in turn were able to sponsor their mother.

OP here - I agree there is an english proficiency exemption for old people (50 or 60+) who have been living in the county for 20 years as legal permanent residents. Is that group of people the reason MoCo ballots are in english and spanish? I don't think so.

[Anonymous]

PS, I like the all caps poster who keeps calling me [insulting adjective] + [unloved animal type].

I had never heard of a capybara before. Honestly they look pretty cute, so, again, not offended.

[Anonymous]

The MoCo election ballot is in English and Spanish because there are lots of citizens in MoCo who speak English and there are also lots of citizens in MoCo who speak Spanish.

Yes, only citizens can vote.

How does it hurt you for there to be Spanish on the ballot?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Wow, calm down.

In order to become a naturalized citizen, you have to demonstrate proficiency at written english. That's a fact.

Who are you talking about?

Also do you insult everyone who asks questions? Worms are very useful creatures, so I'm not too hurt.

NP here. Sorry OP but you are wrong. My elderly aunt who barely speaks a word of English just became a naturalized US citizen. Her kids immigrated here many decades ago thanks to the visa lottery. And they in turn were able to sponsor their mother.

OP here - I agree there is an english proficiency exemption for old people (50 or 60+) who have been living in the county for 20 years as legal permanent residents. Is that group of people the reason MoCo ballots are in english and spanish? I don't think so.

. OP, why bother to pose your original comment as a question— when you already have an opinion that you’ve no interest in changing? Yup. See what I did there?

You’ll be thrilled to know that the County will have people available on Election Day who are fluent in several languages— to provide assistance to voters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Wow, calm down.

In order to become a naturalized citizen, you have to demonstrate proficiency at written english. That's a fact.

Who are you talking about?

Also do you insult everyone who asks questions? Worms are very useful creatures, so I'm not too hurt.

NP here. Sorry OP but you are wrong. My elderly aunt who barely speaks a word of English just became a naturalized US citizen. Her kids immigrated here many decades ago thanks to the visa lottery. And they in turn were able to sponsor their mother.

OP here - I agree there is an english proficiency exemption for old people (50 or 60+) who have been living in the county for 20 years as legal permanent residents. Is that group of people the reason MoCo ballots are in english and spanish? I don't think so.

17% of MoCo speaks Spanish at home. I don't know the percentage for citizens.

Do you have any idea what you are talking about when you parrot talking points? I don't think so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Wow, calm down.

In order to become a naturalized citizen, you have to demonstrate proficiency at written english. That's a fact.

Who are you talking about?

Also do you insult everyone who asks questions? Worms are very useful creatures, so I'm not too hurt.

Have you taken the naturalization test? I have. I had to write a 4-5 word sentence that a second grader could write. Same second grader would not have the language skills that may be required to follow a ballot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised to see the the ballot duplicates all the questions and instructions in spanish. What's the point? You have to be a U.S. citizen to vote, which means you must know the language.

Also - there are scores of languages spoken by citizens in this area. Why spanish?

IMHO, that ballot would be simpler for all if if was just in english.

There are jurisdictions in Maryland that allow non citizens to vote in local elections. MOCO is not one of them though.

[Anonymous]

Lowering barriers to entry for informed voting is a good thing, OP.

In fact, it is international best practice to publish ballots in the languages of ethno-linguistic minorities.

I work in international human rights and have observed/monitored probably 35 elections over the course of my career. In each case, one of the items on our "checklist" is whether ballots are available for X linguistic minority if they make up more than Y percentage of the voting public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised to see the the ballot duplicates all the questions and instructions in spanish. What's the point? You have to be a U.S. citizen to vote, which means you must know the language.

Also - there are scores of languages spoken by citizens in this area. Why spanish?

IMHO, that ballot would be simpler for all if if was just in english.

Are you really this dumb?

We've been inundated by right wing nut jobs because of the election. The number of posts written by ignorant, provincial rubes has increased rapidly.

Like yours

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You do not need to know English to become a citizen

Incorrect. You do need to read english to become a citizen.

You do, but it is very basic. There is 3 or 4 sentences given and you only need to be able to read one and speak it aloud.

Also, there are the 50/20 and 55/15 exemptions. Age 50+ & been a permanent resident of the US for 20 years, you can get an exemption and take the test in your native language. Age 55+ & been a permanent resident of the US for 15 years, you can get an exemption and take the test in your native language.

But away, NOT learning Spanish is going to hurt all US citizens in the future. Jobs listings already give preference to dual language English/Spanish speakers. Many predict that English will no longer be the dominant spoken language in as few as 25 years.

My kids went to a dual language (English/Spanish) childcare center from ages 6 months to K. They all took Spanish as their chosen language elective in school and have had great volunteer and career success because they are fluent in both English and Spanish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think OP’s mind might be blown by the fact that ballots in Fairfax County are in English, Spanish, Korean, and Vietnamese.

Voting signs and ballots are printed in languages other than English to encourage unlawful voting by noncitizens.

The number of people who fall under the exceptions to the English-language requirement to naturalize (or were born U.S. citizens but never lived in an English-speaking culture long enough to learn the language), are exceedingly minuscule.

Disinformation. You have no evidence of this.

Check what’s currently going on in Loudoun County

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised to see the the ballot duplicates all the questions and instructions in spanish. What's the point? You have to be a U.S. citizen to vote, which means you must know the language.

Also - there are scores of languages spoken by citizens in this area. Why spanish?

IMHO, that ballot would be simpler for all if if was just in english.

You are too dumb to vote.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many citizens are not fluent enough in English to make a decision like voting. But yea they are citizens and yes they can vote

OP here - sorry, I've never encountered a single fellow US citizen who can't read english (apart from I guess illiterate people).

How do you know the Spanish speakers you encounter aren’t citizens?
I’ve literally never asked anyone.
I am an English speaker and don’t care that the ballot has Spanish as well.