About 8.4% of the US speaks English less than “very well,” according to the Census Bureau in 2022. For otherwise-eligible voters, a lack of English proficiency can present a challenge to participating in the electoral process.
In 1975, Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act increased voting access for non-English speakers who had historically been excluded from the political process, with a focus on Spanish, Asian, Native American, and Alaskan Native language-speakers — but with particular requirements that mean that not every locality is required to comply.
