Congress enacted the Voting Rights Act (“VRA”) in August 1965 to protect the right of all citizens to exercise their fundamental right to vote and have equal access to the political process. The VRA was enacted to address the widespread disenfranchisement of African-Americans in the South, which was so poignantly brought to the nation’s consciousness by the events in Selma, Alabama in March 1965. The VRA addresses techniques of disenfranchisement by eliminating barriers to voting, including literacy tests, poll taxes, and other direct and indirect methods of voting discrimination.
In 1975, Congress amended the VRA by adding Section 203 of the Act, which extended voting protection to the following language minority groups: Alaskan Natives, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and persons of Spanish heritage. Section 203 was enacted in response to substantial evidence that the covered groups were prevented from participating in the political process by language barriers and systemic discrimination. Section 203 addresses these problems by mandating that language assistance be provided in all voting activities in covered jurisdictions. All “voting materials” (such as registration materials, voting notices, materials provided by mail, election forms, polling place signs, instructions, publicity, and ballots) must be provided in the language of all language minority groups that triggered coverage, except for language minority groups with historically unwritten languages such as Alaskan Natives and Native Americans. All covered groups also must receive oral instructions, assistance, and other information in their native language at every stage of the political process. Section 203 applies to all public elections in the covered jurisdiction. As a result of the most recent determinations made by the Census Bureau on July 26, 2002, a total of 31 states are covered by Section 203, in whole or in part. For more information about Section 203, please see the following report: Section 203.
Several components of the VRA, including Section 203, are set to expire on August 6, 2007. This project focuses on gathering evidence that Congress will need in deciding whether to reauthorize Section 203 and if so, what changes are necessary to make the legislation more effective.
The purpose of this project is to determine the need for Section 203, its economic costs, the availability and quality of oral and written language assistance in covered jurisdictions, and how effective that assistance has been. The project will obtain this information from the perspectives of both affected voters and election officials.
Our study of affected voters will be concentrated in the state of Arizona (several organizations will conduct similar studies using our survey in other states). Arizona is covered statewide for Spanish language assistance. In addition, nine of Arizona’s 15 counties are covered for assistance in the following Native American languages: Apache, Navajo, Pueblo (Havasupai, Hopi, and Zuni), Tohono O’Odham (Pima and Yavapai), Yaqui, and Yuman. We will interview voters at polling locations in five Arizona counties: Apache, Coconino, and Navajo Counties for Native American language minority groups; and Maricopa and Pima Counties for Spanish language minorities.
As part of the voter study, we will have interviewers at approximately 130 voting precincts in these counties. The voting precincts will be selected by stratified random sampling. Bilingual interviewers will select voters at random to be asked a set of questions about their ability to access election information. Interviewers will also be making objective observations of the polling sites, such as the type of assistance provided and clarity of presented information.
Shortly following Election Day, we will also conduct a telephone survey of registered voters in those precincts who either voted via absentee ballot or did not vote at all. These registered voters will be asked the same set of questions as Election Day voters.
To ascertain the impact of the minority language provisions of the VRA on election officials, we will mail out a survey questionnaire in early January 2005 nationwide to all jurisdictions down to the county level that are covered by Section 203 of the VRA. The questionnaire will seek information as to how election officials in those areas address compliance with Section 203.
As part of this study, we are recruiting volunteers to help administer surveys to language minority voters in Arizona on election day, November 2nd, and to administer telephone surveys through February 2005. This study is intended to provide information about the effectiveness and implication of Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act.
Volunteers who are willing to assist in this study are greatly needed and ASU students who need community service hours for scholarships can receive service hours for helping out. Preference will be given to volunteers who are bilingual and to volunteers who can work more than one time slot.
| Rodolfo Espino Arizona State University Department of Political Science PO Box 87902 Tempe, AZ 85287-3902 email: espino@asu.edu Tel: 480-965-5884 Fax: 480-965-3929 |
Jim Tucker Arizona State University Barret Honors College PO Box 87612 Tempe, AZ 85287-1612 email: jttucker@asu.edu tel: 602-364-7161 |