What's happening
This bill requires New York City boards of elections to provide all voting materials and information in Russian to ensure effective participation by Russian-speaking voters.
Why it matters
Expands access beyond just online materials. The bill requires that all voting-related information—such as registration forms, notices, instructions, assistance, and materials at polling places—be provided in Russian, not just information on the Board of Elections’ website. This means Russian-speaking voters will have more comprehensive support throughout the entire voting process.
Targets in-person voting experience. By mandating Russian translations for ballots, voting systems, and ballot-marking devices at polling places, the bill aims to reduce confusion and barriers at the critical point of casting a vote, supporting more effective participation by Russian speakers.
Includes citywide voter education efforts. The legislation requires the production and distribution of a booklet citywide, containing a voter registration form (with Russian instructions), absentee ballot guidance in Russian, and a Russian-language FAQ. This proactive outreach could increase overall voter turnout and civic participation in the Russian-speaking community.
Promotes equity among language groups. By ensuring Russian receives the same level of language access as other non-English languages already supported, the bill addresses potential disparities in voter information and aims to create a more inclusive electoral process in New York City.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Provide Russian Voting Materials
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to elections
- Referred to elections
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Require Russian Voting Materials
In Assembly Committee · Election Law · Sponsor Steven Cymbrowitz
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5825
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 2, 2017
Introduced by Sen. SAVINO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections
AN ACT to amend the election law, in relation to voting materials in Russian
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 3-506 of the election law, as added by chapter 244 of the laws of 2009, is amended to read as follows:
§ 3-506. Boards of elections; voting materials in Russian. A board of elections in a city of over one million shall provide [the same information in Russian that it provides in languages other than English on its website. It] all information that is provided by such a board of elections in English about the electoral process, including registration or voting notices, forms, instructions, assistance as well as information provided at the polling place, including voting systems, ballot marking devices and ballots in Russian to the extent needed to allow voters who speak Russian to participate effectively in the electoral process and all voting-connected activities. Such board of elections shall also provide the same information in Russian that it provides in languages other than English on its website. Such board of elections shall also produce and disseminate citywide a booklet that includes: (a) a voter registration form in English with instructions in Russian; (b) instructions in Russian regarding the criteria and application process for obtaining an absentee ballot; and (c) a section with general voter information in Russian including frequently asked questions. Such board may include other languages on its website and in such booklet.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rules or regulations necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made on or before such date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06470-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the election law, in relation to voting materials in Russian
Purpose
This bill seeks the same status for Russian that exists for five other languages, aside from English, relating to all election-related information, as required by federal Voting Rights Act, in cities with over one million residents.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one states that a board of elections in a city of over one million provide all information that is provided in English about the electoral process, including registration or voting notices, forms, instructions, assistance as well as information provided at the polling place, including voting systems, ballot marking devices and ballots in Russian to the extent needed to allow voters who speak Russian to participate effectively in the electoral process and all voting-connected activities. Further, such board of elections shall also provide the same information in Russian that it provides in languages other than English on its website.
Read the full memo (602 words)
Section one also states that such board of elections shall also produce and disseminate citywide a booklet that includes: (a) a voter registration form in English with instructions in Russian; (b) instructions in Russian regarding the criteria and application process for obtaining an absentee ballot; and (c) a section with general voter information in Russian including frequently asked questions. Such board may include other languages on its website and in such booklet.
Section two is the effective date.
Justification
Despite a large demographic presence, New York City makes no accommodation for Russian-speaking voters, as they do for speakers of other languages. The U.S. Census American Community Survey estimates there are 190,000 - 200,000 New York City residents who speak Russian at home. These numbers have only increased since the 2011 five-year estimate of 180,000 - 190,000 Russian speakers. Russian is the third-highest spoken language other than English in New York City, ranking only behind Spanish and Chinese. Russian language speakers are also the third-highest group lacking English proficiency, just behind Spanish and Chinese.
Approximately 113,000 - 120,000 Russian-American New Yorkers speak English "less than very well," almost twice the number of some languages in which translated voting materials are currently provided.
Some Assembly, State Senate, Congressional, and local districts have significant Russian-speaking populations, with as many as 20 percent of some districts' total populations. For instance, according to recent U.S. Census data, Russian is the second most common non-English language spoken in New York Congressional District 8, which includes neighborhoods in Southern Brooklyn.
In many of these districts, Russian-Americans are being unfairly shut out of the voting process because of a language barrier. Currently, voting and registration materials are printed in many languages other than English, but Russian has long been, and continues to be, ignored. Many Russian-Americans aren't voting because they aren't registered -and they aren't registered because they can't read the instructions in the registration materials. In other cases, Russian-American voters who can register are unable to understand the verbose and technical instructions on the ballot - language that often confuses native speakers. Providing a language accommodation for Russian speakers will remove unfair and unnecessary barriers and provide a pathway to a civically engaged electorate. This bill will go a long way toward equal representation for all New Yorkers.
Legislative history
2017: same as Cymbrowitz A3675 2016: S6997 - same as Cymbrowitz A1361 2015, 2014, 2013: Assembly only
Fiscal implications
Costs to local boards of elections in cities with one million or more residents.
Effective date
This act shall take on the one hundred and twentieth day after it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.