Source: https://www.justice.gov/crt/united-states-district-courtfor-district-new-mexico-0
Timestamp: 2019-02-18 16:27:38
Document Index: 678032552

Matched Legal Cases: ['§1973', '§1973', '§1973', '§1973', '§2284', '§1973', '§1973', '§1973', '§1973']

In The United States District Courtfor The District Of New Mexico | CRT | Department of Justice
Plaintiff, CIVIL ACTION NO. CV-98-156 BB/LCS
BERNALILLO COUNTY BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS; TOM RUTHERFORD,
Chairperson of the Bernalillo
County Board of Commissioners;
STEVE GALLEGOS, LES HOUSTON, BARBARA
J. SEWARD, KEN SANCHEZ, Members of the
Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners;
and JUDY WOODWARD, Bernalillo County Clerk, &nbsp
Defendants. &nbsp
The United States initiated this action pursuant to Sections 2, 12(d), and 203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §1973, 42 U.S.C. §1973j(d), 42 U.S.C. §1973aa-1a, and 28 U.S.C. 2201, alleging violations of the Voting Rights Act and the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution arising from Bernalillo County's election practices and procedures as they affected Native American citizens of the county, including those Native American citizens who rely in whole or in part on the Navajo language.
The claim under Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act ("Section 203") must be heard and determined by a court of three judges in accordance with the provisions of 42 U.S.C. §1973aa-2 and 28 U.S.C. §2284.
Defendants do not contest that more than five percent of voting age Navajos, within the Cañoncito Navajo Reservation, speak Navajo and are limited-English proficient, and further agree that the illiteracy rate of such persons as a group is higher than the national illiteracy rate. 57 Fed. Reg. 43213 (September 18, 1992). Such determinations subject Bernalillo County to the requirements of Section 203(c) of the Voting Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. §1973aa-1a(c), and thus the defendants must furnish oral instructions, assistance and other information relating to voter registration and voting, in the Navajo language.
Defendants do not contest that in past elections the county has failed in particular areas to make the election process as accessible to Native American citizens as it was to non-Native American citizens as is required by Section 203, Section 2, and the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. Bernalillo County agrees in the future to comply with Section 203, Section 2, and the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments.
This Court has jurisdiction over the parties and the subject matter of this litigation. This agreement is final and binding between the parties and their successors in office regarding the facts, claims, and issues raised in the Complaint and in this document.
Defendants, their agents and successors in office, and all other persons acting in concert or participation with them, are hereby permanently enjoined from failing to comply with the requirements of Sections 2 and 203 of the Voting Rights Act and the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution.
It is the intent of Bernalillo County to make all phases of the election process as accessible to the Navajo population of Bernalillo County as they are to the remainder of the county's population. Therefore, Bernalillo County shall provide information, publicity, and assistance in the Navajo language in voter registration, voter registration cancellation, absentee voting, early voting, procedures at the polls including translation of the ballot, and training of polling officials/translators. Bernalillo County, in consultation with the United States and the Cañoncito Chapter, has developed a manual of procedures for incorporating the Navajo language in elections that addresses the type of information, publicity and assistance to be provided and the manner in which they will be provided (copy attached).
To ensure the dissemination of election-related information to the Navajo speaking population of Bernalillo County, and to make the election process equally accessible to Native American citizens, Bernalillo County, by March 16, 1998, shall employ a Native Language Coordinator (hereinafter "NLC"). The NLC shall be bilingual in Navajo and English. The primary responsibility of the NLC, a full-time employee of Bernalillo County, shall be to carry out the county's Navajo language election procedures, publicity and assistance, including assisting the county carry out the procedures in the manual referenced in paragraph two.
Bernalillo County shall establish a travel, supply, and telephone call budget for the NLC which shall be sufficient to cover expenses incurred in carrying out the NLC's duties, obligations, and responsibilities.
At locations on the Cañoncito Reservation, the NLC shall conduct the training of poll officials and any other election related personnel who will be working at the Cañoncito precinct.
Within thirty days of an election, the county will establish a satellite election office for two days each week on the Cañoncito reservation. The NLC shall consult with the tribal representative for space to set up the temporary office.
To assist in the effectiveness of this Agreement and to protect the Fifteenth Amendment rights of citizens of Bernalillo County, the appointment of federal examiners for elections in the county is authorized pursuant to Section 3(a) of the Voting Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. §1973(a), for the period of this Agreement.
Bernalillo County is designated pursuant to Section 3(c) of the Voting Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. §1973a(c) for the period of this Agreement regarding changes that may affect the county's compliance with the Voting Rights Act as set forth in paragraphs two through nine.
This Agreement shall remain in effect through June 30, 2003, unless plaintiff moves the court for good cause shown to extend this Agreement.
The Court shall retain jurisdiction of this case to enter further relief or such other orders as may be necessary for the effectuation of the terms of this agreement and to ensure compliance with Sections 2 and 203 of the Voting Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. §§1973, 1973aa-1a, and the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments of the Constitution.
Bernalillo County, New Mexico contains a portion of four Indian Reservations or Pueblos: The Sandia Pueblo to the north, Isleta Pueblo to the south, and the Cañoncito Navajo chapter and the Laguna Reservation on the western boundary of the county. Maps are attached to more exactly define and identify Indian lands. (Map is not available in HTML format.)
Cañoncito: A chapter of the Navajo Nation, located on the western edge of Bernalillo County. It is identified as voting precinct 31. For the 1996 general election, there were 317 registered voters in precinct 31.
Laguna: This reservation is actually two parcels, divided by Cañoncito Chapter. We do not believe there are any households within the Laguna Reservation that are in Bernalillo County. However, should this not be the case, those residents will be afforded the same services as described herein.
The City of Albuquerque also contains a significant number of Native American voters. Bernalillo County is subject to Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. 1973aa-1a. The act requires that information which is provided in English about voter registration, including voting notices, forms, instructions, assistance, or other materials or information relating to the electoral process, including ballots, be provided in the minority language to the extent that it is needed allowing minority members to be effectively informed of and participate in the electoral process. Where the language of the applicable minority group is oral or unwritten, oral information and instruction in the appropriate native language is required.
This manual establishes a comprehensive Native American Election Information Program (NAEIP) to disseminate election related information and services to the Native American population of Bernalillo County. It details the procedures for voter registration, voter registration cancellations, absentee and early voting, training of election day poll officials, language assistance at the polls, and for the dissemination of information about elections. The program is administered by the Native Language Coordinator (NLC), a full-time Bernalillo County employee. This manual also describes coordination between the NLC, tribal representatives, and the Native American Voting Rights Office under the New Mexico Secretary of State.
The NLC is responsible for the administration of the Bernalillo County NAEIP.
The NLC will work, as far as practicable, with the counterparts in Socorro, McKinley, and San Juan Counties, to coordinate election translation for the Cañoncito chapter.
TRIBAL REPRESENTATIVES It is the desire of the county to have an individual in the tribe that the county may contact about election-related issues. In addition, the county would like to have a tribal member to be available on a permanent basis who can explain the voting procedures in case the NLC is not available at the moment.
The deputy county clerk, or other designated representative, will request the Cañoncito chapter president to identify and/or appoint one individual to serve as tribal representative for communications between the county and the chapter about voting and elections. The vice president of the Navajo chapter will serve as the representative in the event that a separate tribal representative is not chosen or is vacated. The tribal representative must be proficient in both English and Navajo.
The following election-related material and announcements, if made available in English, shall be translated into Tewa and Navajo, made available on audio or video tape, and provided to the appropriate tribal representative:
Election calendar for the year (by January 15 of each year);
The NLC will work with Bernalillo County Public Affairs to identify and provide public service notices to publications, which are tailored to the pueblos and Canoñcito chapter. Notices may be printed therein in the language traditionally used by the publications. The frequency of paid announcements shall be subject to available financial resources.
Detail the early voting process, to include the location of satellite polling locations; and
An actual voting machine, or enlarged photograph of a voting mcahine should be used to instruct how the voter is to cast a ballot.
The NLC will be assigned a county vehicle and a radio or mobile telephone for election day. Problems reported to the county from the voting precincts at the pueblo and Cañoncito chapter will be relayed to the NLC for appropriate action. Additionally, the NLC will visit each precinct on tribal land at least once on election day to ensure that voters are obtaining information and assistance in the Native American language when it is needed.