Prior to the ruling, Korean was not mandated for any ballots in the United…
By Alexander Dworkowitz
The U.S. Department of Justice announced last week that certain election districts in Queens must have ballots in Korean in order to be in compliance with the Voting Rights Act.
Prior to the ruling, Korean was not mandated for any ballots in the United States.
But due to the latest 2000 Census figures, the Justice Department has determined that the language is suitable for Queens County, Los Angeles County, and Orange County in California.
“We’re definitely happy,” said Steve Yun, executive director of the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium, a non-profit advocacy group. “It’s something that we have pushed for for awhile.”
According to the Voting Rights Act, a county must have at least 10,000 residents who speak a particular language and either speak English poorly or not at all.
The Justice Department’s decision was not a surprise to advocacy groups that followed the process or to the city Board of Elections, since census figures showed a substantial rise in Queens’ Korean-Americans who speak only Korean over the 1990s.
Glenn Magpantay, staff attorney for the Asian-American Legal Defense Fund, a non-profit advocacy group which recommended putting Korean on the ballot on its recent report, “Asian-American Access to Democracy in the NYC 2001 Elections,” praised the decision.
“The legal mandate is extreme,” Magpantay said. “It’s everything. The right to vote just got a lot closer for Korean Americans.”
Magpantay explained the mandate not only calls for Korean to appear on ballots, but also on voter registration forms, signs at polling sites and in voter’s guides.
“Our efforts now turn on compliance as the New York City Board of Elections prepares for the upcoming elections,” Magpantay added.
The implementation of the Justice Department decision could prove difficult for the Board of Elections. With Chinese and Spanish already on the ballot, voters in some election districts could find themselves with a ballot with four languages on it.
Naomi Bernstein, a spokeswoman for the Board of Elections, could not say whether or not the new ballots would be ready for the September primaries or November elections.
“We will do our utmost to comply with the mandate,” she said.
Despite the question of when Korean would appear in voting booths in September, Yun, whose organization has worked with the Board of Elections to translate the ballots, was optimistic.
“We are going to enjoy the same rights and privileges as Chinese Americans and those Americans who speak primarily Spanish,” he said. “It’s great news for the Korean-Americans in Queens County.”
Reach reporter Alexander Dworkowitz by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 141.
