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Non-US citizen from Hong Kong unanimously appointed to San Francisco’s Election Commission

February 20, 2024 | | Print Article

In a further sign of absolute cultural suicide, San Francisco has appointed a non-U.S. citizen from Hong Kong to oversee the city’s elections, despite the fact she can’t legally vote.

Kelly Wong, who is an immigrant rights advocate, is the newest member of the San Francisco Elections Commission. It’s a seven-member body that oversees elections and creates policy for the Department of Elections. They unanimously voted to have her on the commission.

She “is believed to be the first noncitizen appointed to the commission. At a swearing-in ceremony administered by Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin on Wednesday at San Francisco City Hall, dozens of people gathered to commemorate the occasion,” KQED reported.

Wong told the outlet that “she hopes her appointment is a beacon of hope for other immigrants living in the city.”

“There are always voices inside my head. Like, ‘You can’t do it. You’re not competent. You’re an immigrant. This is not your country.’ That’s not true,” Wong asserted. “If I can do it, you can do it.”

She immigrated to America in 2019 from Hong Kong to pursue her graduate studies.

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“Wong’s appointment is the result of a 2020 voter-approved measure that removed the citizenship requirement to serve on San Francisco boards, commissions, and advisory bodies. Each of the commission’s seven members is appointed by a different city official, such as the mayor, city attorney, or district attorney. The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to appoint Wong,” KQED noted.

“I’m very impressed by her commitment to enfranchising people who rarely vote, to educating people about the voting process, and to bring in noncitizens and get them the tools they need as they become citizens,” Peskin commented according to the outlet.

San Francisco’s leaders seem not to notice the irony of having a non-citizen overseeing elections there.

“Drawing on her lived experience, Wong said she wants to increase engagement among the city’s immigrant and non-English speaking communities. Anyone who has delved into San Francisco’s ballot knows it can be just as confusing for native English speakers to decipher the myriad propositions, their arguments, and the city’s ranked-choice voting system,” KQED wrote.

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“Even though I’m fluent in English, I still encounter challenges in navigating a new system, let alone participating in political conversation and activities,” Wong stated in Chinese during an interview before being sworn in on Wednesday.

Wong wants to make sure voters understand materials by ensuring they are translated correctly regarding terms such as “reparations.”

“I’ve seen how language and cultural barriers prevent immigrants with limited English proficiency from fully exercising their right to vote,” Wong claimed. “Is there a way to do voter outreach that is not just about translation but can touch on political education while maintaining neutrality and impartiality in elections?”

She has worked as an immigrant rights advocate at Chinese for Affirmative Action since 2022. It caters to San Francisco’s Chinese community.

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“Noncitizens aren’t totally barred from voting in San Francisco. In 2016, after multiple attempts in previous years to pass a similar measure, voters approved Proposition N, which allowed San Francisco noncitizens to vote in school board elections if they had a child who went to school in the district. In 2022, a state Superior Court judge struck down the law in a case brought by the United States Justice Foundation, a conservative nonprofit. The California Court of Appeal ultimately reversed the ruling,” KQED said.

Democrats such as Wong will continue to attempt to make it legal for nonresidents to vote in all elections across the country.

“I think that we have to go beyond, ‘Are we doing the bare minimum to how we can get everyone fully involved?’” Vincent Pan, co-executive director of Chinese for Affirmative Action, contended.

“I’m hoping there will be a day where it won’t be as newsworthy that you have someone who’s an immigrant and a noncitizen involved in helping make the city run better, especially in a city where such a large percentage of the community is immigrants,” Pan said seemingly referring to the Chinese population there.

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San Francisco Election Commission President Robin Stone told Fox News Digital in a recent interview, “I support the Board of Supervisors’ authority and decision to appoint Kelly Wong to the Elections Commission. What’s more, as public officers of the City, we respect the law and will of San Francisco voters, who removed the citizenship requirement for commissioners in 2020.”

People were quick to sound off over the development:

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