This is a modified version of the original story by CalMatters reporter Sameea Kamal for use in classrooms.
The 2020 Census confirmed California’s status as one of the nation’s most diverse states. It is only second to Hawaii. About 40 percent of Californians speak a language other than English at home. This includes more than 200 languages and dialects. One in five Californians have limited English skills.
California has often expanded voting rights. However, in 2022, Secretary of State Shirley Weber decided to reduce the number of languages translated for elections. She decreased the number in some voting precincts from 27 to 10. Her decision upset voting rights advocates. Weber later changed her decision. Translation into all 27 languages is now allowed again.
Voting rights groups were worried before the decision was changed. They urged Weber to keep the same language options. They asked her to act quickly. All 58 counties in California needed time to prepare for the June primary.
A letter sent by voting rights groups cited a Brennan Center report from 2021. The report stated that at least 19 states passed laws that made it more difficult for Americans to vote. More bills have been introduced in four new states this year.
“. . .California cannot backslide,” the letter stated. “We must continue to lead and take bold steps to protect voting rights. [W]e must remove barriers to the ballot box for all eligible voters. [This includes] voters who are members of language minority groups.”
Over the years, California has made voting easier. It dropped its ID rules. It also allowed same-day voter registration and preregistration as early as age 16. The state expanded early voting and vote-by-mail. For the 2020 election and 2021 recall election, California responded to the pandemic by mailing a ballot to every voter. Despite COVID, the November 2020 election set records for voters registered and total votes cast.
Last year, the Legislature passed a bill to require mail ballots be sent to every voter. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law.
How are language requirements decided?
In 28 California counties, the federal Voting Rights Act requires translations for the most common languages for non-English speakers. These languages include Spanish, Filipino, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean and Vietnamese.
The state then decides whether to add more languages in more voting precincts. The Secretary of State decides which voting precincts have enough “single language minority” voters who need help to vote. In precincts where 3% or more of the voting-age population do not speak English, counties must provide language help. This includes translations for ballots and voting materials. They must also try to find poll workers who speak each language.
Weber has been known for supporting voters’ rights. Many were confused by her decision. She said her initial ruling to reduce the number of languages was caused by incomplete 2020 Census data.
Some counties such as Santa Clara and Fresno said they would continue offering the languages they did in 2021. Other counties said that they could not get money from their boards of supervisors because of Weber’s decision. After Weber changed her decision, all counties can get funding again.
The number of languages for voter information translations has grown in California since 2018. Six languages were added that year. Another 14 languages were added in 2019.
6.8 million Californians have limited English skills. That’s almost 20% of the state’s population. Translations of ballots allow these voters to vote in their own language. This is important because in some places voter participation is lower among non-whites.
“California has often led on language assistance for voters. . . [W]e don’t want to see a problem coming out of a data issue getting in the way of voters getting. . . what they need to be able to vote,” said Julia Marks. She is the staff attorney and program manager with the voting rights project at Asian Americans Advancing Justice.
Jeanine Erikat is a policy associate with a research and advocacy group for refugees in San Diego County. She said the Secretary of State’s language decisions are important to provide language help to the people her group serves.
“It’s really an exciting moment for communities who’ve been here for five-plus years and are acclimating and engaging civically in different ways,” she said. She added that it’s important that these people can vote for themselves. They should not have to rely on a child, neighbor, or community member to translate for them. “[I]t’s just not the same as being able to vote for yourself and really ensure you’re getting all the correct information.”