Bilingual Ballot Requirements: Your Voting Language Rights

Under the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), local election officials must provide election materials in your language if your jurisdiction is covered. These are binding legal obligations, not optional voting accommodations.

If you believe your language access rights have been denied, contact a civil rights attorney near you. You may need legal help in various situations, such as when your jurisdiction is covered, but election officials don’t provide the required materials. There are also cases where translated materials are incomplete, inaccurate, or unavailable. You may also encounter required bilingual poll workers being absent. In these cases, a civil rights attorney can help you understand your options and take action to enforce your rights.

Your Right To Language Assistance Under Federal Law

The 1975 amendments to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) created specific protections for language minority voters. Congress added Section 203, which requires certain jurisdictions to provide language assistance during elections.

If a jurisdiction fails to comply with Section 203, the U.S. Department of Justice can take action, including filing a lawsuit in federal court. Election officials are legally responsible for providing these services.

When Does the Federal Government Require Bilingual Ballots?

Language assistance rights under Section 203 depend on your place of residence, not individual circumstances. If your jurisdiction is covered, all voters there have the right to access election materials in the covered language, regardless of their English language proficiency.

Every five years, the Census Bureau determines which areas need language help through data from the American Community Survey. An area is covered for a language group if it meets at least one of these conditions:

• The proportion of voting-age citizens with limited English proficiency (LEP) in that language group exceeds 5% of the jurisdiction’s total voting-age population
• There are more than 10,000 LEP voting-age citizens in that language group within the jurisdiction

The group must have a higher illiteracy rate, defined as people who have not finished fifth grade, compared to the national average. If these requirements are met, the area must provide language help to that group. Under Section 203, the term “language minorities” or “language minority group” refers to persons who are Alaskan Native, American Indian, Asian, or Hispanic.

Which Languages Are Available?

The Census Bureau reviews determine how many places need to offer multilingual ballots and other election materials. In December 2021, Census data showed that 331 jurisdictions met the requirements. In these places, election officials must provide voting materials in multiple languages. The Census released this information before the 2022 midterm elections. This is the highest number of jurisdictions ever covered by Section 203, 68 more than in 2016.

Most of these jurisdictions are counties and cities, but three entire states (California, Florida, and Texas) are also included. Statewide election materials in these states must have Spanish translations. Cities and counties are not required to provide translations unless they have enough people from an eligible language group.

The Census Bureau listed eight covered languages within the Asian American category:

• Asian Indian
• Bengali
• Cambodian
• Chinese (including Taiwanese)
• Hmong
• Korean
• Filipino
• Vietnamese

The following Native American languages are among those covered under the 2021 determinations:

• Apache
• Choctaw
• Hopi
• Navajo
• Paiute
• Pueblo
• Seminole
• Ute

Four Alaskan Native languages:

• Alaska Athabascan
• Aleut
• Inupiat
• Yup’ik

While most jurisdictions on the census data must provide materials for one language group, some diverse urban areas have several. For instance, Los Angeles County, California, must provide translations for the following groups:

• Cambodian
• Chinese (including Taiwanese)
• Filipino
• Hispanic
• Korean
• Vietnamese

This list is not exclusive. The rules may vary depending on local election requirements and county demographics. Check your county clerk’s office for the latest information on available language assistance.

How To Find Out if Your Area Is Covered

You can check the DOJ’s full list of jurisdictions required to provide bilingual election materials or contact your county clerk‘s office directly to find out whether your area qualifies and which languages are available. The Census Bureau updates coverage determinations every five years. The next revised list will be published in December 2026, so the current lists will be in effect for the 2026 midterm elections.

What Bilingual Election Materials Cover

All voter information given to English-speaking voters must also be available in the covered minority language. This includes not just ballots, but also:

• Sample ballots
• Absentee ballots
• Voter registration forms
• Instructional materials
• Polling place notices
• Election information pamphlets

The Voting Rights Act also requires bilingual poll workers, interpreters, and trained staff to help voters who do not speak English.

Language assistance must meet the same standard as English materials. Incomplete translations, missing signage, or absent bilingual poll workers are not just administrative shortfalls. They violate federal law.

State-Specific Rights and Variations

Some states have enacted stronger laws to bolster the federal Voting Rights Act, which requires translation for some language groups. California, for instance, requires precincts to provide translations to language groups that comprise 3% or more of their population, rather than the federal 5% minimum in a qualified category. Election officials should also make a “good faith effort” to recruit bilingual poll workers to assist those groups on Election Day.

Florida’s bilingual ballots have a very different history. A 2019 federal court ruling marked a significant development by ordering 32 counties to provide Spanish-language sample ballots before the 2020 primary elections. This court order aimed to accommodate the growing Hispanic population in Florida. It also emphasized the importance of ensuring that all eligible voters can participate in the electoral process regardless of language barriers.

Voters should check their own state’s election laws, since many states offer more protections than the federal rules. Local election offices or the county board of elections may also have extra policies. Your county clerk’s office is a good place to start for local information.

How To Access Language Assistance

If you need language assistance when voting, the following steps can help you exercise your rights effectively:

• Contact your county clerk or local elections office before Election Day: Ask whether your jurisdiction is covered under Section 203. You can also ask which languages are available and whether bilingual poll workers will be present at your polling location.
• Request translated materials in advance where possible: Absentee ballots, voter registration forms, and instructional materials in covered languages should be available ahead of Election Day. Requesting them early reduces the risk of delays.
• Know that you may bring a helper to the polls: Section 208 of the VRA allows voters who are blind, have a disability, or cannot read or write to choose someone to assist them at the polls. This includes voters who have difficulty understanding English. The only people you cannot bring are your employer, an agent of your employer, or an officer or agent of your union.
• Ask to speak with the polling place supervisor on-site: If you arrive at a polling place and bilingual assistance is not available, ask to speak with the polling place supervisor on-site. You can also contact your county elections office directly to request immediate support.

Language barriers should not keep you from casting a vote.

What To Do if Your Rights Are Violated

If you think a covered area is not meeting its Section 203 duties, there are legal options to address it. You may file a complaint with the DOJ’s Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division, which is responsible for enforcing Section 203. You can submit complaints online or by calling the DOJ’s voting rights toll-free hotline at 1-800-253-3931.

There are several other resources available to help:

• Your state or county election office
• Election Protection Hotline (nonpartisan): 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683)
• A civil rights attorney

No matter which option you choose, keeping records will help your case. Write down the date, polling place, names of officials you spoke with, and exactly how they denied or did not provide you with help. This information can support a complaint or legal action.

When To Seek Legal Advice

The rules about multilingual ballots under the VRA can be complicated. If you live in a covered jurisdiction, you have the right to request election materials in your language. That right is enforceable.

If election officials are not honoring it, or you are unsure whether your area qualifies, a civil rights attorney can help you understand your options and take action. They can guide you, help you understand the law, and protect your rights. Contact a civil rights attorney to ensure your voting rights are protected.