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L.A. WILL OFFER ELECTION INFO, BUT NOT BALLOTS IN ARMENIAN, RUSSIAN AND FARSI
Contra Costa Times
http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_21209678/l-will-offer-election-info-but-not-ballots
Aug 1 2012
CA
The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday agreed to develop a phased-in
approach to include Armenian, Russian and Farsi as official languages
for city elections.
While it will not include ballots printed in those languages because of
the cost, the city will reach out to the different communities, seek
poll workers who speak the languages and offer election information
in those languages.
City Clerk June Lagmay said the March 2013 election is too close to
put the new language options into effect, but the city would have
such a program in place by 2015.
Councilman Paul Krekorian said Armenian is the most widely used
language in the city after English, Spanish and Korean.
"Some of the greatest debates this nation has had has involved
expansion of voting rights," Krekorian said. "Whether it was the right
for women to vote or the Civil Rights Act, it has done more to make
government accessible."
Councilman Eric Garcetti said the city can increase voter turnout by
providing election information and assistance in more languages.
"We found in recent elections that we were able to increase turnout
by 2,000 just by having people speak Armenian," Garcetti said.
From: A. Papazian
Contra Costa Times
http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_21209678/l-will-offer-election-info-but-not-ballots
Aug 1 2012
CA
The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday agreed to develop a phased-in
approach to include Armenian, Russian and Farsi as official languages
for city elections.
While it will not include ballots printed in those languages because of
the cost, the city will reach out to the different communities, seek
poll workers who speak the languages and offer election information
in those languages.
City Clerk June Lagmay said the March 2013 election is too close to
put the new language options into effect, but the city would have
such a program in place by 2015.
Councilman Paul Krekorian said Armenian is the most widely used
language in the city after English, Spanish and Korean.
"Some of the greatest debates this nation has had has involved
expansion of voting rights," Krekorian said. "Whether it was the right
for women to vote or the Civil Rights Act, it has done more to make
government accessible."
Councilman Eric Garcetti said the city can increase voter turnout by
providing election information and assistance in more languages.
"We found in recent elections that we were able to increase turnout
by 2,000 just by having people speak Armenian," Garcetti said.
From: A. Papazian