[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 28, Volume 2]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 28CFR55.18]

[Page 123-124]
 
                    TITLE 28--JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION
 
              CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (Continued)
 
PART 55--IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT REGARDING LANGUAGE MINORITY GROUPS--Table of Contents
 
          Subpart D--Minority Language Materials and Assistance
 
Sec. 55.18  Provision of minority language materials and assistance.

    (a) Materials provided by mail. If materials provided by mail (or by 
some comparable form of distribution) generally to residents or 
registered voters are not all provided in the applicable minority 
language, the Attorney General will consider whether an effective 
targeting system has been developed. For example, a separate mailing of 
materials in the minority language to persons who are likely to need 
them or to residents of neighborhoods in which such a need is likely to 
exist, supplemented by a notice of the availability of minority language 
materials in the general mailing (in English and in the applicable 
minority language) and by other publicity regarding the availability of 
such materials may be sufficient.
    (b) Public notices. The Attorney General will consider whether 
public notices and announcements of electoral activities are handled in 
a manner that provides members of the applicable language minority group 
an effective opportunity to be informed about electoral activities.
    (c) Registration. The Attorney General will consider whether the 
registration system is conducted in such a way that members of the 
applicable language minority group have an effective

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opportunity to register. One method of accomplishing this is to provide, 
in the applicable minority language, all notices, forms and other 
materials provided to potential registrants and to have only bilingual 
persons as registrars. Effective results may also be obtained, for 
example, through the use of deputy registrars who are members of the 
applicable language minority group and the use of decentralized places 
of registration, with minority language materials available at places 
where persons who need them are most likely to come to register.
    (d) Polling place activities. The Attorney General will consider 
whether polling place activities are conducted in such a way that 
members of the applicable language minority group have an effective 
opportunity to vote. One method of accomplishing this is to provide all 
notices, instructions, ballots, and other pertinent materials and oral 
assistance in the applicable minority language. If very few of the 
registered voters scheduled to vote at a particular polling place need 
minority language materials or assistance, the Attorney General will 
consider whether an alternative system enabling those few to cast 
effective ballots is available.
    (e) Publicity. The Attorney General will consider whether a covered 
jurisdiction has taken appropriate steps to publicize the availability 
of materials and assistance in the minority language. Such steps may 
include the display of appropriate notices, in the minority language, at 
voter registration offices, polling places, etc., the making of 
announcements over minority language radio or television stations, the 
publication of notices in minority language newspapers, and direct 
contact with language minority group organizations.

[Order No. 655-76, 41 FR 29998, July 20, 1976, as amended by Order No. 
733-77, 42 FR 35970, July 13, 1977]