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QUESTION
How many interpreters and translators are required for election day, and does the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act introduce new language access requirements for NYC?
4:28:09
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The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act does not introduce additional language requirements for NYC, but conversations with the Attorney General's office about compliance are ongoing.
- The NYC Board of Elections uses around 629 interpreters during early voting and 2,443 on election day, with distribution varying by borough.
- Initial discussions with the Attorney General's office have begun to ensure the Board of Elections complies with the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act.
- The act doesn’t impose new language requirements but may involve other compliance aspects.
- The exact impact of the act on language access requirements is still uncertain, with more information expected from future discussions.
Lincoln Restler
4:28:09
My last topic for the day, unless my my colleagues wanna jump in on anything else, is around interpretation and translation.
4:28:16
So I'll just ask a few questions if you wouldn't mind.
4:28:19
The how many PULSEID interpreters and translators are typically required for election day by the BOE.
4:28:27
And how many languages are you currently covering?
4:28:30
And then just wanna tea up the John R.
4:28:33
Lewis Voting Rights Act, I believe, has taken effect September September.
4:28:37
Thank you.
4:28:38
So I was gonna say very soon.
4:28:41
Does this impose additional requirements on NYC beyond what our existing laws require?
4:28:48
If so, what changes does the BOE need to make to meet the voting rights acts, language access requirements, and you're feeling good about your are you on pace to do so?
Michael J.Ryan
4:28:59
So my understanding is that the John Lewis voting rights act does not impose additional language requirements.
4:29:08
But those conversations, we we just recently did
Vincent Ignizio
4:29:14
we have an operational working.
Michael J.Ryan
4:29:15
Yeah.
4:29:15
We exactly about the AG's office.
4:29:17
With the AG's office.
4:29:18
I this this challenge is much bigger for them in terms of statewide management than it is for us, but we are a big piece of the pie for them.
4:29:28
So we actually started conversations with them about all of their John Lewis voting rights act requirements before they even got their working group together, recognizing that we're gonna present the biggest challenges, you know, for them.
4:29:41
So but those conversations will be ongoing.
4:29:45
And and I don't wanna speak for the attorney general's office if they have a different interpretation.
4:29:52
If they do, they will tell us.
4:29:53
Here's what we interpret your It's the whole purpose of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act is to give the clearly and and clearly define the authority of the state attorney general's office to direct those jurisdictions that are more specifically covered, some are less.
4:30:12
We we fall basically into the categories of a of a jurisdiction that would have been covered by pre clearance under the previous avoiding rights act.
4:30:21
Now we all five borrowers weren't covered then, but they are now.
4:30:24
So we'll continue to work with the attorney general's office.
4:30:27
And their staff is
Lincoln Restler
4:30:28
quite this being 6 months out Right.
4:30:30
Implementation date.
4:30:32
It's still too early to tell for sure whether language acts their additional language access requirements that are being posed on the BOE.
Michael J.Ryan
4:30:39
Yes.
4:30:40
Because we we did have they did so far to to Zoom conferences and our staff, relevant staff, myself, included participated in those where they're starting to set up the framework.
4:30:53
I'm telling you I don't think we're going to have any additional language requirements, that's my interpretation.
4:31:00
But what I am saying to you is in full deference to the New York the attorney general's office, I recognize that my opinion is not the last stop on the train here.
4:31:11
And they get to impose if if necessary.
Joseph Wagner
4:31:14
I just
Lincoln Restler
4:31:14
you know, we have a great working relationship with the AG.
4:31:17
If there are any concerns that we're not you're not getting the information that you need in a timely basis, please let us know.
4:31:23
We all adore our return agent?
Michael J.Ryan
4:31:24
No.
4:31:25
I think I think what's happening is they have a big task ahead of them, and they have a schedule, and they're working their way through it.
4:31:31
That having been said, we have enjoyed a very good working relationship with the civil rights bureau within the attorney general's office.
4:31:38
You know, year in and year out.
4:31:41
They cooperate with us.
4:31:43
They tell us if they think we're not doing something right and we cooperate very fully with them.
4:31:49
And we think their the the AG's office staff is doing a great job.
Eric Eichenholtz
4:31:53
Well
Michael J.Ryan
4:31:53
And we also and we also have Presently, we typically utilize on a city wide election 629 interpreters during early voting and 2443, and then that's broken down by for for election day, and then that's broken down by borough.
4:32:12
But certainly, we can give you the full breakdown on on that in writing away from it.
4:32:18
I have it.
4:32:18
And if you want me to read it
Lincoln Restler
4:32:19
down to the record, I will I mean, we we provide we'll tell you that we appreciate coming in today.
4:32:25
And I I think the BOE gets a lot of grief and it deserves some of it.
4:32:31
But but I would say this.
4:32:33
I really do believe that things have been improving at the Board of Elections.
4:32:37
And it's no easy feat.
4:32:39
And I wanna credit you both and your team for the progress that's being made.
4:32:45
It's a very difficult structure that I think places severe limitations on the kinds of reforms that should happen, but working within those constraints you've done an admirable job.
4:32:56
So I just wanna thank you guys for coming in and thank the whole BOE team for their work and look forward to continuing to work together.
Michael J.Ryan
4:33:00
Thank you very much.
4:33:01
And I and I would just like to say as well, one of the things that we're welcoming because it seems to be happening from the outside, and I I don't know what your interpretation is.
4:33:09
To the extent that we're not trapped, between an a a path that the New York State legislature wants to walk versus a path that the New York City Council might want to walk and the more that those two bodies can come together and and do what is fair and reasonable, and we're not the rope being pulled one way or the other.
4:33:34
That's very helpful to us.
4:33:36
And and I and I have seen an improvement in that regard over my course of time as the executive director.
Lincoln Restler
4:33:43
We're happy to to work on those conversations Senator Myrie is a a fellow Brooklynite, so we'd love to bring together colleagues that to try and think about their coordination of the city and state level.