Bilingual Ballots Available In Woonsocket For Elections

WOONSOCKET, RI — Voters in Woonsocket now have the option to receive voting materials in either English or Spanish, Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea announced Friday. Voter assistance for Spanish speaking voters will also be available on Election Day.

According to the secretary of state's office, the decision came after LatinoJustice PRLDEF, a nonprofit nonpartisan civil legal defense and education fund, sent a letter to Secretary Gorbea asking that bilingual ballots, voting materials and voter assistance be provided to Spanish speaking Puerto Rican voters in the city of Woonsocket. This puts the city in accordance with Section 4(e) of the Voting Rights Act. Section 4(e), which requires bilingual ballots for voters with limited English proficiency, who were taught Spanish in Puerto Rican schools. Puerto Ricans make up about 11 percent of the city's population.

Federal courts across the country have consistently interpreted Section 4(e) to require bilingual ballots, election materials, and that bilingual poll workers be provided in jurisdictions which are home to sizable Puerto Rican populations. As recently as last month, a Federal Judge in Florida ordered 32 counties and the secretary of state to comply with Section 4(e) of the Voting Rights Act prior to the 2018 Midterm election.

"As Secretary of State, it is my duty to ensure that every eligible Rhode Islander has unfettered access to the ballot box," Gorbea said. "Providing bilingual ballots and voting materials in Woonsocket will improve access for the Spanish speaking citizens living there."

These same voting materials are also available in Providence, Pawtucket, and Central Falls, all of which have sizable Puerto Rican and Latino populations of their own.

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