Tag: voting rights

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Bilingual Ballots and Language Assistance for Asian Americans

A message from our friends at the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund:

Dear friends:

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) has compiled multilingual fact sheets regarding election language assistance in 10 Asian languages.

As you may know, in October of 2011, the U.S. Census Bureau announced the new jurisdictions and languages covered under the Language Assistance Provisions (Section 203) of the federal Voting Rights Act.  Section 203 requires covered jurisdictions to provide language assistance so that limited English proficient Americans can effectively participate in the electoral process.

As a result, 22 counties in eleven (11) states are now required to provide bilingual ballots, interpreters at poll sites, and other translated materials in Asian languages.  AALDEF’s multilingual fact sheets explain the law’s requirements, its benefits, and how to report problems to ensure that all Asian Americans can fully exercise their right to vote.  Our fact sheets are available in the following languages:

·  English
·  Chinese
·  Korean
·  Vietnamese
·  Filipino (Ilocano)
·  Filipino (Tagalog)
·  Japanese
·  Bengali
·  Hindi
·  Urdu
·  Punjabi

We are delighted that more Asian Americans will be able to exercise their right to vote through this expansion and hope that you all find these community fact sheets useful.

For more information, please contact me at [email protected] or 212-966-5932.

Best,

Chi-Ser Tran
Voting Rights Organizer
[email protected] x251

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Dear friend,
My name is Theo Harris and I am steering committee member of the Minority Voting Rights Committee of the New York Democratic Lawyers Council. The NYDLC is a project of the New York State Democratic Party and a chapter of the National Democratic Lawyers Council. We are a group of New York attorneys and others who have a deep commitment to Democratic politics and who share the common goal of protecting each citizen’s right to vote. Voting rights are under attack in our country. The Republican Party is engaging in deliberate tactics to disenfranchise those most likely to vote for Democrats, and it is critical that Democratic attorneys use their skills to ensure that the right to vote is upheld. This fall, a strong Election Protection effort will be a critical key to victory for President Obama in New York, Pennsylvania and other swing states.

On Wednesday May 9th at 7pm, you are invited to attend the monthly meeting of the Minority Voting Rights Committee (NYDLC). Our guest speaker will be Macharia “Cha” Edmonds Esq(Obama For America-NY African American Outreach Coordinator). Mr. Edmonds will be discussing the campaign’s extensive plan for constituency outreach and empowerment and how one can get involved. We will also give committee updates on the recent poll watching and survey taking we did during the April 24 primary in Pennsylvania. As well as discussing the field plan and upcoming volunteer opportunities over the next couple of months leading to the November election. Please feel free to invite others whom you believe maybe interested. We just ask that they RSVP prior to the event to have your name listed at the front security desk.

What: Protect the Vote! – Monthly Minority Voting Rights Committee
When: Wednesday, May 9th 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Where: The Law Firm of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP. 787 Seventh Avenue (btwn 51St. and 52 St.)
RSVP: Is required. Please reserve your spot by emailing [email protected]

This meeting is sponsored by the Minority Voting Rights Committee of the New York Democratic Lawyers Council (NYDLC), Obama for America-NY. It is open to all attorneys and non-attorneys who are interested in volunteering to support the President

We hope to see you there!

Theo Harris Esq.
Steering Committee Member of the Minority Voting Rights Committee of
New York Democratic Lawyers Council
A Voting Rights Project of the
NYS Democratic Party and the DNC
(917) 602-9134
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AALDEF ED on Why Redistricting Matters to APAs

AALDEF ED on Why Redistricting Matters to APAs

The Nov. 1 edition of the Daily News ran the following editorial from Margaret Fung, Executive Director of AALDEF.  In it, she states:

When communities with common interests are not kept together in the same district, residents cannot organize effectively to advocate for the issues most important to them, such as fighting for living wage jobs, preserving affordable housing units, curbing racial violence in public schools, or getting Asian-language access to health care.

Well said, Margaret!  That’s why the Voting Rights Act should require district lines in New York City to be redrawn so that the APA communities of interest are kept together and their votes are not diluted.

To read the rest of the editorial, click the link in the title.

Margaret Fung

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AALDEF: Eleven States Must Now Provide Asian American Voters with Bilingual Ballots

AALDEF: Eleven States Must Now Provide Asian American Voters with Bilingual Ballots

From AALDEF’s Oct. 12 press release announcing important updates to jurisdictions across the country that are required by law to provide bilingual ballots:

For the first time South Asian languages were covered, in four jurisdictions, as well as Korean in New Jersey and Chinese in Massachusetts. The determinations also found a significant expansion in the number of jurisdictions required to provide Chinese, Filipino, and Vietnamese assistance.

Chinese and Filipino ballots must be provided in four more districts each, Indian and Vietnamese ballots must be provided in three more districts each, Korean ballots must be provided in one more district, and Bangladeshi will be required for the first time in Hamtramck city in Michigan.

“We’re ecstatic that more Asian Americans will be able to exercise their right to vote – and that the voting process will accommodate an increasingly diverse electorate,” said Glenn D. Magpantay, Director of the Democracy Program at the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF).

To read the full text, click on the link in the title.

AALDEF ballot