About 8.3% of the US speaks English less than “very well,” according to the US Census Bureau. These Americans face greater challenges participating in the electoral process.
Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) was added in 1975 to increase voting accessibility for non-English speakers that have been historically excluded from the political process. It targets Spanish, Asian, Native American, and Alaskan Native languages. In eligible localities,[1] it requires all elections to provide translated ballots and election information in other languages.
While this section of the Voting Rights Act improved election access for non-English speakers, how it works in practice means many are still left out of the process.
