BBT TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIALS TO EXPAND LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE IN PHILADELPHIA COUNTY, PA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 18, 2022
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BBT TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIALS TO EXPAND LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE IN PHILADELPHIA COUNTY, PA

Yesterday’s primaries were a critical first step toward implementing a comprehensive language assistance program for all Chinese-speaking Philadelphia residents ahead of fall elections

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Yesterday, Philadelphia County voters went to the polls for their first elections in which Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act required the provision of Chinese language assistance, including translated ballots, voter registration materials, and more. Philadelphia County has previously implemented Spanish language requirements for election materials. In September 2021, Building Back Together launched the Language Justice Committee (LJC) to support election officials across the country as they implement new language assistance requirements, announced in December by the Census Bureau, in their counties.

The LJC has been working in partnership with organizations in Pennsylvania, like Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ), to offer language assistance, and officials in Philadelphia County have begun working with the LJC to expand language accessibility ahead of the November elections, including through improved translations of voting materials.

“All Americans – regardless of the language they speak – should be able to cast a free and informed ballot, and we are heartened to see the steps already being taken by Philadelphia County election officials to make this a reality,” said Building Back Together Voting Rights Director Rubén Lebrón. “In recent years, they have done significant work to expand language access for Spanish-speaking voters, and we are encouraged that in response to new requirements, officials are already working to provide the same resources to Philadelphia’s nearly 50,000 Chinese language speakers. We look forward to working with election officials in Philadelphia and other counties across the country to ensure Section 203 is upheld this fall and in the years to come.”

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