Fact Sheets: Multilingual Ballots
According to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a state or political subdivision must provide language assistance to voters if more than (5) five percent of voting age citizens are members of a single-language minority group who do not "speak or understand English adequately enough to participate in the electoral process" and if the rate of those citizens who have not completed the fifth grade is higher than the national rate of voting age citizens who have not completed the fifth grade.
As result, more than 335 jurisdictions in 30 states must provide ballots, signs, registration forms and informational brochures in a multitude of languages.
When a state is covered for a particular language group, an exception is made for any political subdivision in which less than five percent of the voting age citizens are members of the minority group and are limited in English proficiency, unless the political subdivision is also covered.
A political subdivision is mandated to provide language assistance to voters if more than 10,000 voting age citizens are members of a single-language minority group who do not "speak or understand English adequately enough to participate in the electoral process" and if the rate of those citizens who have not completed the fifth grade is higher than the national rate of voting age citizens who have not completed the fifth grade.
Following is the list of states and political subdivisions that must provide language assistance to voters. This list, published on July 26, 2002 by the U.S. Census Bureau, does not include jurisdictions that provide such services by their own volition.
Alaska Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Florida Hawaii Idaho Illinois Kansas Louisiana Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Mississippi Montana Nebraska Nevada New Jersey New Mexico New York North Dakota Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Dakota Texas Utah Washington
Alaska:
Aleutians West Census Area (Aleut)
Bethel Census Area (Eskimo, American Indian - Tribe not specified)
Denali Borough (Athabascan)
Dillingham Census Area (Eskimo, American Indian - Other Tribe specified)
Kenai Peninsula Borough (American Indian - Tribe not specified, Aleut)
Kodiak Island Borough (Filipino)
Lake and Peninsula Borough (Athabascan, Aleut, Eskimo)
Native (Other Group specified)
Nome Census Area (Eskimo)
North Slope Borough (American Indian - Tribe not specified, Eskimo)
Northwest Arctic Borough (Eskimo, Alaska Native - Other Group specified)
Southeast Fairbanks Census Area (Athabascan, Native - Other Group specified)
Valdez-Cordova Census Area (Athabascan)
Wade Hampton Census Area (Eskimo, American Indian - "Chickasaw," American Indian - Tribe not specified)
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area (Athabascan, Eskimo, American Indian - Other Tribe specified)
Up
Arizona:
Apache County (American Indian - "Apache," "Navajo," "Pueblo")
Cochise County (Hispanic)
Coconino County (American Indian - "Navajo," "Pueblo")
Gila County (American Indian - "Apache")
Graham County (American Indian - "Apache")
Greenlee County (Hispanic)
Maricopa County (Hispanic, American Indian - "Tohono O'Odham")
Navajo County (American Indian - "Apache", "Navajo," and "Pueblo")
Pima County (Hispanic, American Indian - "Tohono O'Odham," "Yaqui")
Pinal County (American Indian - "Apache," "Tohono O'Odham")
Santa Cruz County (Hispanic)
Yuma County (Hispanic, American Indian - " Yuman")
Up
California:
Alameda County (Hispanic, Chinese)
Colusa County (Hispanic)
Contra Costa County (Hispanic)
Fresno County (Hispanic)
Imperial County (Hispanic, American Indian - Central or South American, "Yuman")
Kern County (Hispanic)
Kings County (Hispanic)
Los Angeles County (Hispanic, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese)
Madera County (Hispanic)
Merced County (Hispanic)
Monterey County (Hispanic)
Orange County (Hispanic, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese)
Riverside County (Hispanic, American Indian - Central or South American)
Sacramento County (Hispanic)
San Benito County (Hispanic)
San Bernardino County (Hispanic)
San Diego County (Hispanic, Filipino)
San Francisco County (Hispanic, Chinese)
San Joaquin County (Hispanic)
San Mateo County (Hispanic, Chinese)
Santa Barbara County (Hispanic)
Santa Clara County (Hispanic, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese)
Stanislaus County (Hispanic)
State Coverage (Hispanic)
Tulare County (Hispanic)
Ventura County (Hispanic)
Up
Colorado:
Alamosa County (Hispanic)
Conejos County (Hispanic)
Costilla County (Hispanic)
Crowley County (Hispanic)
Denver County (Hispanic)
La Plata County (American Indian - "Navajo," "Ute")
Montezuma County (American Indian - "Navajo", "Ute")
Otero County (Hispanic)
Rio Grande County (Hispanic)
Saguache County (Hispanic)
Up
Connecticut:
Bridgeport town - Fairfield County (Hispanic)
Hartford town-Hartford County (Hispanic)
Meriden town-New Haven County (Hispanic)
New Britain town-Hartford County (Hispanic)
New Haven town-New Haven County (Hispanic)
Waterbury town-New Haven County (Hispanic)
Windham town-Windham County (Hispanic)
Up
Florida:
Broward County (Hispanic, American Indian - "Seminole")
Collier County (American Indian - "Seminole")
Glades County (American Indian - "Seminole")
Hardee County (Hispanic)
Hendry County (Hispanic)
Hillsborough County (Hispanic)
Miami-Dade County (Hispanic)
Orange County (Hispanic)
Osceola County (Hispanic)
Palm Beach County (Hispanic)
Up
Hawaii:
Honolulu County (Chinese, Filipino, Japanese)
Maui County (Filipino)
Up
Idaho:
Bannock County (American Indian - Other Tribe specified)
Bingham County (American Indian - Other Tribe specified)
Caribou County (American Indian - Other Tribe specified)
Owyhee County (American Indian - Other Tribe specified)
Power County (American Indian - Other Tribe specified)
Up
Illinois:
Cook County (Hispanic, Chinese)
Kane County (Hispanic)
Up
Kansas:
Finney County (Hispanic)
Ford County (Hispanic)
Grant County (Hispanic)
Haskell County (Hispanic)
Kearny County (Hispanic)
Seward County (Hispanic)
Up
Louisiana:
Allen Parish (American Indian - Other Tribe specified)
Up
Maryland:
Montgomery County (Hispanic)
Up
Massachusetts:
Boston city-Suffolk County (Hispanic)
Chelsea city-Suffolk County (Hispanic)
Holyoke city-Hampden County (Hispanic)
Lawrence city-Essex County (Hispanic)
Southbridge town-Worcester County (Hispanic)
Springfield city-Hampden County (Hispanic)
Up
Michigan:
Clyde township-Allegan County (Hispanic)
Up
Mississippi:
Attala County (American Indian - "Choctaw")
Jackson County (American Indian - "Choctaw")
Jones County (American Indian - "Choctaw")
Kemper County (American Indian - "Choctaw")
Leake County (American Indian - "Choctaw")
Neshoba County (American Indian - "Choctaw")
Newton County (American Indian - "Choctaw")
Scott County (American Indian - "Choctaw")
Winston County (American Indian - "Choctaw")
Up
Montana:
Big Horn County (American Indian - "Cheyenne")
Rosebud County (American Indian - "Cheyenne")
Up
Nebraska:
Colfax County (Hispanic)
Sheridan County (American Indian - "Sioux")
Up
Nevada:
Clark County (Hispanic)
Elko County (American Indian - Other Tribe specified, "Shoshone")
Humboldt County (American Indian - Other Tribe specified)
Lyon County (American Indian - "Paiute")
Nye County (American Indian - "Shoshone")
White Pine County (American Indian - "Shoshone")
Up
New Jersey:
Bergen County (Hispanic)
Cumberland County (Hispanic)
Essex County (Hispanic)
Hudson County (Hispanic)
Middlesex County (Hispanic)
Passaic County (Hispanic)
Union County (Hispanic)
Up
New Mexico:
Bernalillo County (Hispanic, American Indian - "Navajo," "Pueblo")
Catron County (American Indian - "Pueblo")
Chaves County (Hispanic)
Cibola County (American Indian - "Navajo," "Pueblo")
De Baca County (Hispanic)
Dona Ana County (Hispanic)
Eddy County (Hispanic)
Grant County (Hispanic)
Guadalupe County (Hispanic)
Harding County (Hispanic)
Hidalgo County (Hispanic)
Lea County (Hispanic)
Luna County (Hispanic)
McKinley County (American Indian - "Navajo," "Pueblo")
Mora County (Hispanic)
Rio Arriba County (Hispanic, American Indian - "Navajo")
Roosevelt County (Hispanic)
San Juan County (American Indian - "Navajo," "Ute")
San Miguel County (Hispanic)
State Coverage (Hispanic)
Up
New York:
Bronx County (Hispanic)
Kings County (Hispanic, Chinese)
Nassau County (Hispanic)
New York County (Hispanic, Chinese)
Queens County (Hispanic, Chinese, Korean)
Suffolk County (Hispanic)
Westchester County (Hispanic)
Up
North Dakota:
Richland County (American Indian - "Sioux")
Sargent County (American Indian - "Sioux")
Up
Oklahoma:
Harmon County (Hispanic)
Texas County (Hispanic)
Up
Oregon:
Malheur County (American Indian - Other Tribe specified)
Up
Pennsylvania:
Philadelphia County (Hispanic)
Up
Rhode Island:
Central Falls city-Providence County (Hispanic)
Providence city-Providence County (Hispanic)
Up
South Dakota:
Bennett County (American Indian - "Sioux")
Codington County (American Indian - "Sioux")
Day County (American Indian - "Sioux")
Dewey County (American Indian - "Sioux")
Grant County (American Indian - "Sioux")
Gregory County (American Indian - "Sioux")
Haakon County (American Indian - "Sioux")
Jackson County (American Indian - "Sioux")
Lyman County (American Indian - "Sioux")
Marshall County (American Indian - "Sioux")
Meade County (American Indian - "Sioux," "Cheyenne")
Mellette County (American Indian - "Sioux")
Roberts County (American Indian - "Sioux")
Shannon County (American Indian - "Sioux")
Stanley County (American Indian - "Sioux")
Todd County (American Indian - "Sioux")
Tripp County (American Indian - "Sioux")
Ziebach County (American Indian - "Sioux")
Up
Texas:
Andrews County (Hispanic)
Atascosa County (Hispanic)
Bailey County (Hispanic)
Bee County (Hispanic)
Bexar County (Hispanic)
Borden County (Hispanic)
Brewster County (Hispanic)
Brooks County (Hispanic)
Caldwell County (Hispanic)
Calhoun County (Hispanic)
Cameron County (Hispanic)
Castro County (Hispanic)
Cochran County (Hispanic)
Concho County (Hispanic)
Crane County (Hispanic)
Crockett County (Hispanic)
Crosby County (Hispanic)
Culberson County (Hispanic)
Dallas County (Hispanic)
Dawson County (Hispanic)
Deaf Smith County (Hispanic)
DeWitt County (Hispanic)
Dimmit County (Hispanic)
Duval County (Hispanic)
Ector County (Hispanic)
Edwards County (Hispanic)
El Paso County (Hispanic, American Indian - "Pueblo")
Fisher County (Hispanic)
Floyd County (Hispanic)
Frio County (Hispanic)
Gaines County (Hispanic)
Garza County (Hispanic)
Glasscock County (Hispanic)
Goliad County (Hispanic)
Gonzales County (Hispanic)
Guadalupe County (Hispanic)
Hale County (Hispanic)
Hall County (Hispanic)
Hansford County (Hispanic)
Harris County (Hispanic, Vietnamese)
Hidalgo County (Hispanic)
Hockley County (Hispanic)
Howard County (Hispanic)
Hudspeth County (Hispanic)
Irion County (Hispanic)
Jeff Davis County (Hispanic)
Jim Hogg County (Hispanic)
Jim Wells County (Hispanic)
Karnes County (Hispanic)
Kenedy County (Hispanic)
Kinney County (Hispanic)
Kleberg County (Hispanic)
Knox County (Hispanic)
La Salle County (Hispanic)
Lamb County (Hispanic)
Live Oak County (Hispanic)
Loving County (Hispanic)
Lubbock County (Hispanic)
Lynn County (Hispanic)
Madison County (Hispanic)
Martin County (Hispanic)
Matagorda County (Hispanic)
Maverick County (Hispanic, American Indian - Other Tribe specified)
McMullen County (Hispanic)
Medina County (Hispanic)
Menard County (Hispanic)
Midland County (Hispanic)
Mitchell County (Hispanic)
Moore County (Hispanic)
Nolan County (Hispanic)
Nueces County (Hispanic)
Parmer County (Hispanic)
Pecos County (Hispanic)
Presidio County (Hispanic)
Reagan County (Hispanic)
Reeves County (Hispanic)
Refugio County (Hispanic)
Runnels County (Hispanic)
San Patricio County (Hispanic)
Schleicher County (Hispanic)
Scurry County (Hispanic)
Starr County (Hispanic)
State Coverage: (Hispanic)
Sterling County (Hispanic)
Sutton County (Hispanic)
Swisher County (Hispanic)
Tarrant County (Hispanic)
Terrell County (Hispanic)
Terry County (Hispanic)
Titus County (Hispanic)
Tom Green County (Hispanic)
Travis County (Hispanic)
Upton County (Hispanic)
Uvalde County (Hispanic)
Val Verde County (Hispanic)
Victoria County (Hispanic)
Ward County (Hispanic)
Webb County (Hispanic)
Wharton County (Hispanic)
Willacy County (Hispanic)
Wilson County (Hispanic)
Winkler County (Hispanic)
Yoakum County (Hispanic)
Zapata County (Hispanic)
Zavala County (Hispanic)
Up
Utah:
San Juan County (American Indian - "Navajo," "Ute")
Up
Washington:
Adams County (Hispanic)
Franklin County (Hispanic)
King County (Chinese)
Yakima County (Hispanic)
Up
