Need language help in the coming primary elections? Bring your own Tagalog interpreter

By Ferlie Andong

If you’re a Tagalog-speaking Filipino who needs language assistance in the elections, NYC’s Civil Engagement Commission (CEC), through its Voter Language Assistance Program says you are entitled to bring an interpreter to the polls.

This is important because Tagalog is not among the ethnic languages that the New York City Civic Engagement Commission provides interpreters for. The VLA program offers voter assistance in the following languages: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (including 

Cantonese and Mandarin, French, Haitian Creole, Italian, Korean, Polish, Russian, Urdu, and Yiddish.  However, in Queens, Tagalog interpretation is offered.

In a recent media roundtable, the New York City Civic Engagement Commission and Campaign Finance Board (CFB) discussed the June Primary Election and voter rights for New Yorkers in the upcoming election.

Ahead of the primaries on June 23, the CEC through its Voter Language Assistance Program brings awareness to voters about their right to vote in their language. Any voter can bring an interpreter of their choice to the voting booth to accompany them and be assisted throughout the voting process. The interpreter can be a family, friend, or even a poll worker and doesn’t necessarily have to be an adult. The only exception is a supervisor/employer from work or a union representative.

It is important to note that the VLA’s interpretation services supplement but do not replace nor duplicate the BOE’s interpretation services.

The CEC, according to its  chair and executive director, Dr. Sarah Sayeed,  is focused on working with diverse populations making sure that people who are left out of government including language communities, people who don’t usually have access and voice,  youth, seniors and  older adults, immigrants, people with disability, veterans can have a stronger access point to the government.

As for the Campaign Finance Board (CFB), their work is largely aligned with what the CEC is doing by ensuring participation in city elections to people who may face barriers because of language and to help “make democracy in NYC more accessible,  transparent and equitable,” according to  Eric Friedman, assistant executive director for Public Affairs.

In the primaries, voters will choose nominees for offices at the following jurisdictions:

Federal – U.S. House of Representatives

NY State – Comptroller, State Senate, State Assembly

NYC – Civil Court Judges, Surrogate Court (Bronx County), Supreme Court (Queens County)

These are the important dates to remember:

Voting

• June 22: Last day to apply in person for absentee ballot

• June 23: Primary Election Day

• June 23: Last day to postmark or drop off in person an absentee ballot

For more information about voting rights visit on.nyc.gov/vla and nycvotes.org