Support the SAVE Act
As a concerned citizen from Santa Cruz, California, I urge fellow Americans to support the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which passed the U.S. House 220-208. This bill protects federal election integrity by requiring proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration, closing loopholes for noncitizens.
Trust in democracy is vital; the SAVE Act ensures that only citizens vote. Polls show Americans overwhelmingly favor voter ID, with 80%+ support across demographics. It mandates citizenship documents and state verification of rolls, addressing rare noncitizen registrations without burdening voters. Please reach out to your Senators today, by phone, email, or website, to vote yes on the SAVE Act.
Uphold that American elections are for citizens. Act now, your voice counts.
Michael Lelieur
Santa Cruz
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Microplastics a critical issue
I would like to highlight the issue of microplastic pollution monitoring as I believe the Pajaronian is an environmentally conscious publication open to the subject. Last November, Rio Theater hosted an informative science panel dedicated to plastic and other pollution of our oceans. According to one of the panelists, “long-term monitoring will make a big difference in healing the oceans and coastlands”. Indeed, Nationwide monitoring of microplastics by the EPA is long overdue. While the Trump administration is taking a hatchet to critical EPA programs, this is one place where we have the power to force action. Last November, Governors of seven states petitioned EPA for microplastics monitoring. This is a critical step that, under the Safe Drinking Water Act, requires EPA to include the specified contaminant in its monitoring program. I urge the EPA to begin to address this huge problem by including microplastics in the next Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR). I also urge Santa Cruz residents to submit their comments to the EPA once the comment period for the UCMR opens. microplastics monitoring and places a higher burden on EPA to deny the governors’ petition, as compared to our petition. In 2025, we were successful in getting 7 governors to petition the EPA on this!
Natalie Beebe
Aptos
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Elections are fair, trustworthy
This is in response to Mr. Lelieur’s letter to the editor in your last edition, which questions the integrity of federal elections. In response, I offer this information from a position statement by the American Bar Association.
“The reality is that many people around the world look to American elections as models of freedom, fairness, and verified accuracy. While other countries’ elections can at times be more unstable, the American system has always held firm due to its systems of checks and balances. After an election, various people or a political party might challenge the results, which they have every right to do. But our system requires that a challenge be based on facts and on the law. One can’t simply say someone won when the proof shows otherwise. During this era of attacks on our electoral system, we’ll get through by working to improve procedures where needed and by taking the time to learn how American elections work and why they are trustworthy. It is time to choose truth over clickbait, proof over accusations, people over politics, and country over party.”
I might add that over 60 judges affirmed that the 2020 elections were fair.
Mr. Lelieur is trying to solve a problem that does not exist.
Don Eggleston
Aptos
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SAVE Act not needed
As someone who has worked for many years as a precinct inspector in Santa Clara County before moving to Watsonville, I can attest that no non-US citizens voted at my precinct. This requirement only serves to suppress the vote, which is every Republicans’ dream in the upcoming midterm election.
There were several voters who would approach my table at the voting precinct and offer their ID in order to vote, which I politely declined reminding them that we were not living in a red state. I was criticized for making that statement, but I believe it to be true.
There is no need to support the SAVE Act.
Melody Grandell
Watsonville
