Commentaries at the San Antonio Report provide space for our community to share perspectives and offer solutions to pressing local issues. The views expressed in this commentary belong to the author alone.
The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1868, granted citizenship to all individuals born or naturalized in the U.S., including formerly enslaved people. This landmark amendment remains a cornerstone of American democracy, ensuring that all citizens — regardless of how they attained citizenship — have equal rights, including the right to vote.
Today, naturalized citizens play a crucial role in shaping the country’s future. According to the Pew Research Center, 23.8 million Americans are naturalized citizens eligible to vote, making up approximately 10% of the U.S. electorate. In Texas, 2.2 million foreign-born citizens are eligible voters, placing the state among the top four — along with California, Florida, and New York — where 55% of the nation’s naturalized citizen voters reside.
Local elections have a direct impact on daily life, influencing policies on public health, safety, economic development and affordable housing, yet voter participation in these elections remains low. In the May 2023 local election, only 15.34% of registered voters in Bexar County cast a ballot, leaving 892,466 eligible voters who did not participate. The next local election on May 3, with early voting from April 22 to April 29, presents an opportunity to change this trend.
Culturingua supports immigrant individuals and families with legal status in San Antonio by fostering financial empowerment and civic engagement while honoring their cultural and linguistic heritage. This spring, Culturingua is focusing on increasing voter participation among U.S. citizens, particularly naturalized citizens, by hosting a series of art and civic engagement events. These efforts build on the success of Verse and Vote: A Poetry Night for Civic Engagement, which took place on National Voter Registration Day in 2024.
Additionally, in partnership with the League of Women Voters of San Antonio, for the first time ever, Culturingua has translated the May 2025 Voters Guide into Arabic and translated the Texas Voters’ Bill of Rights into Arabic and Pashto. These efforts ensure that San Antonio’s Arab and Afghan naturalized citizens have access to reliable election information and can compare candidate positions to make informed decisions at the polls.
Now is the time to embrace our immigrant communities and support all citizens —naturalized, birthright, derived, and acquired — in exercising their constitutional right to vote. With early voting beginning on April 22, let’s ensure every eligible voter in our community feels informed, empowered and ready to participate in shaping our shared future.
Where to pick up a copy of the Arabic Voters Guide
- Ali Baba International Food Market, 9307 Wurzbach Rd.
- Zaatar Lebanese Grill, 9323 Wurzbach Rd.
- Pasha Mediterranean Grill, all locations
- Baklovah Bakery, 9329 Wurzbach Rd.
- Naara Cafe, 9239 Wurzbach Rd.
- Shisha Cafe, 5500 Babcock Rd.
- Kababchi Grill, 5500 Babcock Rd.
- Crepeccino, 5500 Babcock Rd.
- Ultimate Dental Care, 9130 Wurzbach Rd.
- UT Health School of Nursing, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr.
- Muslim Children Education and Civic Center, 5281 Casa Bella
- Masjid Beit El-Maqdes, 7627 Culebra Rd.
- Cody Branch Library, 1441 Vance Jackson Rd.
- Igo Branch Library, 13330 Kyle Seale Pkwy.
- Great Northwest Branch Library, 9050 Wellwood St.
- Maverick Branch Library, 8700 Mystic Park
- Leon Valley Public Library, 6425 Evers Rd.
- Tripoli’s, 11726 Alamo Ranch Pkwy.
