AB 614 (Eng): Increase Compliance with Voter Protection Laws
California is seeing an increasing gap between the state’s voting and non-voting population. Barriers to voting such as complicated voting materials and unfamiliar voting processes contribute significantly to this gap and pose challenges for the millions of voters who are limited-English proficient or new voters. Increased compliance with voting rights laws that are intended to address these barriers will promote a more inclusive democracy. Poll monitors deployed by various organizations have observed poll sites failing to meet their legal requirements, resulting in voters being unable to exercise their right to vote. For example, poll sites have been found to not provide translated voting materials; not have bilingual poll workers; not have trained poll workers; and not provide provisional ballots. Without the assistance mandated by existing voting rights laws, limited-English proficient citizens have difficulty overcoming the language barriers at the polls. Poll monitors have observed voters leaving poll sites without voting because they did not receive language and other voting assistance.
The Secretary of State has the authority to require election officials to make reports concerning elections in their jurisdictions and assist election officials in discharging their duties. AB 614 proposes to require elections officials to submit their plans for meeting various voting rights laws, and the Secretary of State shall compile best practices that counties could utilize. This process will assist election officials in having adequate plans for providing language assistance and incorporating best practices in responding to the needs of limited English proficient voters.
More information on AB 614 is provided in the RESOURCES section, at right.