How will Asians vote in Orange County? These 'ballot parties' might offer clues
When the first generation of Vietnamese refugees began arriving in Orange County decades ago, many of them harbored a longing to participate in the political process.
“Coming from living under communist rule, being civically engaged and getting to vote meant so much to them — that’s why they had a strong interest,” said Mary Anne Foo, executive director of the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance.
But there was a problem.
In the 1970s, ‘80s and part of the ‘90s, the county’s voter registration materials and ballots were not printed in Vietnamese, which meant that many immigrants could not vote unless they got help translating the documents. So the community devised a solution: “ballot parties.”
These events, organized by political and neighborhood groups — as well as activists and candidates — were typically held in parks and community centers and might feature live music and food. Some gatherings were partisan, others not, but they all included people to translate English-language election documents. And they helped mostly older constituents make sense of their choices.
https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2024-10-29/la-na-pol-vietnamese-voters-orange-county