A total of 516 Chicago and suburban Cook County precincts have been targeted for Chinese language election assistance, including bilingual ballots for the Nov. 5 General Election. Among those to receive Chinese language assistance are all the precincts of the 48th ward.
Chinese now becomes the second foreign language to require bilingual election material under Section 203 of the Federal Voting Rights Act. This is in addition to the Spanish language, which has been included for many years. Chicago and suburban Cook County were notified of the new regulations on July 26 as a result of the Year 2000 Census.
Chicago Election Board Chairman Langdon D. Neal and Cook County Clerk David Orr, and their respective staffs, have been working with a coalition of Chinese community organizations to implement and target the Chinese voter outreach program. Organizations that have been instrumental in assisting the city and county in establishing the outreach effort include the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, the Chinese American Service League, the Chinese Community Center, the Chinese American Civic Council, the Pui Tak Center, the Coalition for Better Chinatown, the Asian American Institute, the Chinese Mutual Aid Association, the South East Asia Center, and the 25th Ward Republican Committeeman, Christopher Wong.
Chairman Neal, noting that the city and county have only three months to prepare for the new Chinese language assistance program, commended the coalition of Chinese community groups for their assistance.
“The groups were instrumental in assisting the city and county in pinpointing the precincts that have a substantial number of potential Chinese voters, and in assisting us in establishing an outreach program to reach these voters,” Neal said. “As a result, many Chinese voters who are not fully fluent in the English language can be brought into the electoral mainstream.”
Clerk Orr believes these translated materials could result in more voters participating in the democratic process.
“This law was enacted to safeguard the voting rights of growing numbers of U.S. citizens who speak limited English and often have a difficult time understanding how to vote and find the process intimidating,” Orr said.
In the targeted precincts with potential Chinese speaking voters, the city and county will attempt to place bilingual judges of election. In addition, the city and county will establish “hotlines” whereby Chinese voters can call for verbal assistance and questions.
Anyone interested in serving as a bi-lingual English/Chinese election judge in Chicago can call (312) 269-7984. Judge of Election applications are also available on the internet at www.chicagoelections.com or www.voterinfonet.com.
The city precincts to receive Chinese language assistance include the entire 11th, 40th, 48th, and 50th wards.
Each of the targeted precincts will have a ballot printed in Chinese, and all of the signage and instructions also will be bilingual in English and Chinese. To advise and assist in reaching the Chinese community, the Chicago Election Board and the Cook County Clerk plan to retain a Chinese liaison person. This consultant will assist in the translation of election materials to the Chinese language, and help serve as a spokesperson for the Chinese community.
To assist in the recruitment of voters in the Chinese community, the city and county have available the mail-in National Voter Registration Act forms which have been translated to the Chinese language. Displays containing these registration forms have been distributed to the various Chinese community groups as well as Chinese affiliated churches. Chicago and Cook County also are taking ads in local Chinese newspapers reproducing the voter registration forms that can be clipped and mailed to the election jurisdiction. |
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