[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: 28CFR55.19]

[Page 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. 55.19  Written materials.

    (a) Types of materials. It is the obligation of the jurisdiction to 
decide what materials must be provided in a minority language. A 
jurisdiction required to provide minority language materials is only 
required to publish in the language of the applicable language minority 
group materials distributed to or provided for the use of the electorate 
generally. Such materials include, for example, ballots, sample ballots, 
informational materials, and petitions.
    (b) Accuracy, completeness. It is essential that material provided 
in the language of a language minority group be clear, complete and 
accurate. In examining whether a jurisdiction has achieved compliance 
with this requirement, the Attorney General will consider whether the 
jurisdiction has consulted with members of the applicable language 
minority group with respect to the translation of materials.
    (c) Ballots. The Attorney General will consider whether a 
jurisdiction provides the English and minority language versions on the 
same document. Lack of such bilingual preparation of ballots may give 
rise to the possibility, or to the appearance, that the secrecy of the 
ballot will be lost if a separate minority language ballot or voting 
machine is used.
    (d) Voting machines. Where voting machines that cannot mechanically 
accommodate a ballot in English and in the applicable minority language 
are used, the Attorney General will consider whether the jurisdiction 
provides sample ballots for use in the polling booths. Where such sample 
ballots are used the Attorney General will consider whether they contain 
a complete and accurate translation of the English ballots, and whether 
they contain or are accompanied by instructions in the minority language 
explaining the operation of the voting machine. The Attorney General 
will also consider whether the sample ballots are displayed so that they 
are clearly visible and at the same level as the machine ballot on the 
inside of the polling booth, whether the sample ballots are identical in 
layout to the machine ballots, and whether their size and typeface are 
the same as that appearing on the machine ballots. Where space 
limitations preclude affixing the translated sample ballots to the 
inside of polling booths, the Attorney General will consider whether 
language minority group voters are allowed to take the sample ballots 
into the voting booths.

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