KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) - Advocates in Kansas City are expected to testify in front of Wyandotte County leaders about the importance of Spanish-language election materials for voters.
The ACLU of Kansas says that at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 30, members of the Wyandotte County Board of Commissioners are expected to hear testimony to consider a resolution introduced by Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor Tyrone Garner.
Advocates noted that the resolution calls on Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab and Wyandotte Co. Election Commissioner Michael Abbott to provide translated election materials for better language access for voters.
ACLU indicated that Mayor Garner joins many of the residents and local organizations that have requested the policy for 18 months now. Community members have vocally supported language access with a petition that has more than 1,000 signatures.
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Organization leaders said 10 local organizations first sent a joint letter to Abbott in August 2023 to request the resolution. However, in September, he refused to meet with these organizations about the issues. By March 2024, the coalition restated its request and urged Abott’s office to take steps toward meaningful quality language access.
Specifically, community members requested locally-produced materials and online content about Wyandotte Co. elections to be available in Spanish. Printed materials would ideally be made available at all in-person voting sites, as well as online, to inform voters of their right to receive language aid at the polls.
Community members have also urged the Commissioner to make Spanish-language ballots, sample ballots and informational materials available upon request - at both in-person and advanced voting sites.
Advocates indicated that the demographic realities of Wyandotte Co. mean that Spanish-language information is critical for a representative democracy. There are nearly 10 times as many Spanish speakers as the next largest language group in Wyandotte Co. More than 50,0000 residents speak a primary language other than English.
Read More: Wyandotte Election Commissioner denies meeting with local groups on better language access for voters
The organizations also noted that Wyandotte Co. is one of the most racially diverse counties in the nation, with a population of over 30% Hispanic or Latino and 28% speaking a primary language other than English.
The ACLU said language access expansion makes elections easier for voters and administrators. It is also well within the law. There is no legal barrier to election officials to proactively provide better language access than what is federally required.
Advocates said many jurisdictions have provided language access far beyond what is required by federal law, with no issue, for decades. With the enhancement and expansion of language assistance, election officials could show their commitment to the communities they serve.
The ACLU also noted that claims that language access in a single language would invite lawsuits from other minority groups are patently false. Not a single case brought under Section 23 names a minority language group that has sued a municipality for expansion of language access. The claim ignores various examples of Kansas counties that have already taken steps to provide better language access without such legal issues.