Court: Florida Must Provide Spanish-Language Ballots

May 11, 2019 2020 Elections, Politics

Advocates for Spanish-speaking voters in Florida are celebrating a significant win Friday after District Judge Mark Walker issued an order requiring 32 of the state’s 67 counties to provide election materials and assistance to Spanish-speaking voters before the 2020 presidential primary.

Walker’s decision comes after several civic engagement groups and individuals sued the state secretary of state and elections supervisors last year for what they say was a violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 for not making available bilingual voting materials and assistance to the state’s growing number of Spanish speakers.

They pointed in particular to Puerto Rican voters who have moved to the state after Hurricane Maria. According to LatinoJustice PRLDEF and Demos, the Voting Rights Act guarantees the right to register and vote for those with limited English and specifically points out Puerto Ricans.

This is the same judge that ordered Florida to rescind a GOP-authored rule against polling stations on college campuses.

#BREAKING: Huge victory in our Florida language access case! Federal judge orders FL to end English-only elections and provide Spanish-language ballots, voter reg apps, voter guides, hotline, signage, poll workers & virtually all the other relief we sought–by the 2020 primary. pic.twitter.com/ugEggUuuQq

— Chiraag Bains (@chiraagbains) May 10, 2019

??BREAKING: Today the court ruled 32 #Florida counties must take steps to provide the following in Spanish and English for #elections:
✔️Official ballots
✔️Election assistance
✔️Voting materials

RIGHT in time for #2020 presidential primary election. https://t.co/MhEm5WE1SZ

— Demos (@Demos_Org) May 10, 2019

Judge orders Spanish-language ballots in 32 counties https://t.co/mfINMPhda7 #FlaPol pic.twitter.com/InXUf0j3Sr

— Florida Politics (@Fla_Pol) May 11, 2019