Provides for bilingual voting materials

Title of bill

An act to amend the election law, in relation to providing bilingual voting materials

Purpose

To make it necessary for voting materials, which in this context means registration and voting notices, forms, instruction, assistance, and any other materials pertaining to the electoral process including ballots, to be provided in a bilingual manner. The criteria for providing bilingual materials would be the existence of more than five percent of the citizens of voting age or ten thousand people in an individual political subdivision who are members of a single language minority and are limited-English proficient. Those individuals of a political subdivision who are limited-English proficient would be those members who do not speak or write English well enough to participate in the electoral process. The determination of the percentage of individuals who belong to a single language minority and are limited-English proficient would be in accordance with the findings of the census.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 of this bill provides the legislative findings, which conclude that minorities have been effectively excluded from participation in the electoral process, which can be directly related to the unequal educational opportunities of single language minorities. The lack of said opportunities leads to high illiteracy rates and in turn fuels low voter participation.

Section 2 of this bill amends the Election Law by adding a new section 3-505 which provides for bilingual voting materials.

Section 3 of this bill provides that this act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.

Justification

Elections are the most efficient means of determining and addressing the needs of the individuals of a particular community. Since New York State is so diverse and many individuals are new to our voting system, we must make sure that all groups have a clear understanding of the voting process. With this factor taken into consideration we can ensure that the voices of all individuals are heard. Providing voting and registration materials in other languages will clarify any problems encountered by bilingual individuals. Many bilingual voters are alienated by the voting process, due to the fact that materials are written only in English. These voters should have their fair share of representation on voting day, and should not be denied voting rights simply because they are not as proficient in English as others in the same community are. If there is a significant amount of a single-language minority present, either five percent or ten thousand members of voting age, then all voting materials should be provided in the respective languages of those single-language minorities.

Legislative history

2015: S.1450 - Referred to Elections

Fiscal implications

Minimal to the State

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.