Sept. 15 , 2006

Chinese-language assistance

King County Elections' Minority Language Coordinator Colleen Kwan reviews important pick-a-party primary rules, new voting equipment at the polls, and other important election information with Chinese American voters at the Chinese Information and Service Center's Sunshine Garden  on Friday, Sept.15, 2006.

As required by federal law, King County provides election materials in Chinese because of the number of Chinese speaking citizens identified in the 2000 U.S. Census. According to Census results, enough Chinese American, voting age citizens indicated they have limited English proficiency and that their English literacy rate is below that of the national standard (5th Grade). Adams, Franklin, and Yakima counties also fall under this provision of the Voting Rights Act, and produce all election material in Spanish. This year, the U.S. Congress renewed the federal Voting Rights Act, affirming that all voters have the ability to participate in the electoral process.