Helping America Vote

@EACgov @eacgov1 @us.eac

EAC | Helping America Vote

eac.gov clearinghouse@eac.gov

Make announcements over the language community's radio or television stations and social

media.

Publicize notices in language community newspapers.

Partner with community organizations to conduct voter outreach at community events.

December 2021: Section 203 requirements take effect immediately upon publication in the Federal

Register. These requirements are applicable to primary and general elections, as well as special

elections including bond, referenda, municipality, and school district elections.

Community Outreach and Engagement

New language requirements can increase costs for several aspects of election administration,

including:

Voter

Registration

In-Person

Voting

Mail-In

Voting

Election

Security

Poll Workers

Voters Election

Officials Accessibility

EAC Clearinghouse Checklist

Language Access Program Checklist

Timeline

In 2019, 26.9 million people in the U.S. had limited English proficiency, and 67.8 million people

spoke a language other than English at home. 331 jurisdictions and 3 states are currently covered

by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, which requires jurisdictions to provide language access for

communities that meet certain criteria. Of these 331 jurisdictions, an additional 68 are newly covered

under Section 203 in 2021. This checklist is intended to assist election officials in their role in

“enab[ling] members of the applicable language minority groups to participate effectively in the

electoral process.” 28 CFR § 55.2(b)

Budget Considerations

Translating and printing ballots, envelopes, voter instructions, and voter guides.

Ballot programming, including, audio recording, proofing, and testing the ballots in each

required language.

Staff salaries for conducting voter outreach activities.

Implementation and evaluation of new policies and procedures.

December 8, 2021 v 1.0

Written and Other Materials

Conduct a comprehensive review of election materials that must be translated.

Leverage existing resources such as the EAC’s Glossaries of Election Terminology and National

Voter Registration Form.

Network and coordinate with peer election officials and other stakeholders.

Ensure accurate translation of election materials and invite community organizations to be part of

the review process.

Determine whether a language is considered written or unwritten. Unwritten languages require oral

assistance and publicity. 

Page 1 of 2
@EACgov @eacgov1 @us.eac

EAC | Helping America Vote

eac.gov clearinghouse@eac.gov

General Practices

Poll Worker Recruitment & Training

Voter

Registration

In-Person

Voting

Mail-In

Voting

Election

Security

Poll Workers

Voters Election

Officials Accessibility

EAC Clearinghouse Checklist

Use demographic data, including federal, state, and local data sources, to monitor language

access needs.

Be proactive in anticipating and developing plans for assistance for your jurisdiction's language

needs.

If you have a jurisdiction with reduced coverage, consider developing a transition plan to

continue to serve that constituency.

Hire a language outreach coordinator to monitor language access efforts and needs within the

community.

Continuously assess, analyze and improve language programs. 

Ensure adequate recruitment of bilingual poll workers and training on language assistance and

cultural sensitivity.

Explore partnerships with churches, schools, and colleges to recruit bilingual poll workers.

Invite community organizations to provide presentations and workshops as part of poll worker

training.

Include training related to the intersection between language access and accessibility for voters

with disabilities.

December 8, 2021 v 1.0

Resources

Language Access–The EAC website includes a page that compiles resources related to

language accessibility. This includes links to resources from federal, state, and local

governments. The page also includes videos and presentations from EAC events on language

access, including its 2016, 2017, and 2018 Language Access for Voters Summits.

EAC’s Glossaries of Election Terminology

EAC's National Voter Registration Form

U.S. Department of Justice–Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act

U.S. Department of Justice–Guide explaining the requirements under Section 203 for local

elections officials.

The Federal Regulations (28 CFR § 55) related to Section 203

U.S. Census Bureau–Section 203 Language Provisions

U.S. Government’s Interagency Working Group on Limited English Proficiency (LEP)–

offers a wealth of information, including multilingual materials, data and language maps, guides,

and language access planning resources

Page 2 of 2