Thread: CA:First US City with Vietnamese-American Majority Council

Orange County's final vote tally puts 2 Vietnamese Americans in winners' seats

Truong Diep in Westminster and Andrew Do in Garden Grove gain city council spots. Westminster becomes the first U.S. city with a Vietnamese American-majority council.

By My-Thuan Tran

December 2, 2008

Westminster became the first city in America with a Vietnamese-majority city council after a final tabulation of votes Monday shifted the winners in two Orange County cities.

Two Vietnamese American candidates who had been trailing after initial vote counts on election day emerged as winners when the Orange County registrar certified the final results of the Nov. 4 election.

In Westminster, Truong Diep initially trailed Penny Loomer by 1,500 votes. But the final vote count put Diep, 25, a member of the Midway City Sanitary District board, ahead by a few dozen votes, giving him the second-place win.

Loomer said Monday that she may seek a recount.

Diep's election stands as a milestone for the small, conservative city that has been transformed by Vietnamese refugees into the thriving enclave of Little Saigon.

The election once again shows the Vietnamese community's propensity for voting absentee. Diep said his win was a surprise, that he had not known if the absentee ballots sent in by Vietnamese voters could overcome the 1,500-vote margin he was behind by.

"I wasn't sure if I was going to make it into the winning column," Diep said. "My gut feeling was that the gap could not be as wide as it was."

In neighboring Garden Grove, after thousands of absentee and provisional ballots were counted, Andrew Do secured a second-place finish for a seat on the City Council, edging out Robin Peace Marcario.

Do, chief of staff of Orange County Supervisor Janet Nguyen, became the second Vietnamese American City Council member in Garden Grove. He could not be reached for comment Monday.

Tran is a Times staff writer.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me ... 7354.story

Well at least they are not illegals having a half dozen anchor babies and demanding everything be printed in Vietnamese.

Westminster became the first city in America with a Vietnamese-majority city council

I knew it would be Westminster before I even opened this...always has been a high Asian population there...no surprise.

Originally Posted by SicNTiredInSoCal

I knew it would be Westminster before I even opened this...always has been a high Asian population there...no surprise.

Westminster also has the largest Vietnam Soldier Memorial outside of DC, paid for by private donations.

http://www.letsgoseeit.com/index/county ... ietnam.htm

Moving from News to Other Topics since it does not relate to illegal immigration.

Yes, Westminster has long been a place Vietnamese have moved to. Not unusual for immigrant groups to gather in areas together. Have had Vietnamese friends having lived in southern CA most my life.

I posted this story under "News" because the guidelines for "News Stories from ALIPAC Members" are described on the "Illegal immigration debate forum index" page as follows:

"Articles must be on the topics of illegal immigration, aliens, gangs, laws, campaigns, LEGAL IMMIGRANTION (sic), terrorists, Americans, border patrol, and security."

Texas2step

Originally Posted by Texas2step

I posted this story under "News" because the guidelines for "News Stories from ALIPAC Members" are described on the "Illegal immigration debate forum index" page as follows:

"Articles must be on the topics of illegal immigration, aliens, gangs, laws, campaigns, LEGAL IMMIGRANTION (sic), terrorists, Americans, border patrol, and security."

Texas2step

You are correct Texas2step, it does say 'legal immigration' under the description of stories to be posted.
My apologies to you and now this thread will be moved back to News.
Boing boing boing.....
Jean