Advocates Demand BOE Allow Interpreters Inside Poll Sites

NEW YORK, NY (02/25/2019) (readMedia)-- The day before the Public Advocate special election, Common Cause/NY and advocates from the Let NY Vote coalition, Borough President Adams and rallied against the NYC Board of Elections' (NYCBOE) recent lawsuit to prevent city interpreters from being inside polling locations.

New York City has a clear interest in being sure that voters receive the assistance they need to exercise their right to vote, as guaranteed in the New York State Constitution. That's why the city has invested $640,000 to provide expanded interpretation services at poll sites with the largest numbers of Limited English Proficient voters during elections. But the Commissioners of the NYCBOE, who are appointed by party leaders, sued the city on Friday to prevent those interpreters from entering poll sites.

"The Board of Elections is acting on behalf of political bosses, not the voters," said Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause/NY. "All voters, regardless of the language they speak, have the right to equal access to the polls -- the BOE should welcome more help for voters, not stand at the polling place door barring the way for city-provided translators."

In 2017 the city started a pilot program to fund interpreters at poll sites during the general election that year. In response the BOE refused to permit taxpayer funded Russian, Haitian Creole, Polish, Italian, Arabic, and Yiddish interpreters inside of poll sites, or even in proximity to the entrance, requiring them to stand 100 feet away due to supposed electioneering. Common Cause/NY opposed the BOE's decision at the time and traveled to local poll sites where interpreters were standing soaking wet in the rain, and far away from voters.

"This move is a blatant attempt to disenfranchise immigrant and limited English proficiency voters. Immigrant voters should not be a bargaining chip for the BOE. We should be working to expand language access for all voters, not physically and symbolically isolating voters at the polls," said Carlyn Cowen, Chief Policy and Public Affairs Officer at the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC).

"There are far too many barriers for New Yorkers to exercise their right to vote, let's not create another one. Immigrants deserve to have the support they need in order to choose who represents them," said Annetta Seecharran, Executive Director of Chhaya Community Development Corp.

In November 2018, Common Cause/NY, CAIR-NY, the Muslim Community Network, the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), AALDEF, LatinoJustice, New York Civil Liberties Union and the Yemeni American Merchants Association issued a letter (that is attached) to the NYCBOE calling on them to allow interpreters for limited English proficient (LEP) voters at poll sites. The BOE has never formally replied. Voters also approved a charter revision that requires that the newly authorized Civic Engagement Commission develop a program to provide translators in even more languages than required under federal law.

NYC Councilman Treyger has introduced legislation in the City Council to codify into law language services for Arabic, Russian, Haitian Creole, French, Urdu, and Polish speakers inside of poll sites. NYC Councilman Justin Brannan has legislation to add Arabic language services into law. Both bills are currently assigned to the Government Operations committee.

The hearing on the lawsuit took place after the rally at 9:30am at Kings County Supreme Court.