California, for so many, has been a symbol of progress, pioneering, and the promise of our multicultural democracy. We are proud to live in the most diverse state in the country, where our communities are woven of a multitude of people, cultures, histories, hopes, and dreams. Historically, California has been a pacesetter in ensuring safe, accessible, and fair elections and in improving access to the polls for all eligible voters, including those whose primary language is not English. Our state is stronger when all voters, regardless of literacy, language proficiency, or background can vote without systemic barriers.
California alone is home to over 6.4 million limited English proficient (“LEP”) individuals and that number continues to grow year after year. For LEP communities, the challenges of language access have far-reaching impacts, including on the ability of eligible voters to exercise their fundamental right to vote or otherwise participate in our democracy.
Ensuring language access for eligible LEP citizens during elections has been a longstanding priority for civil rights advocates in California and beyond. This report examines the implementation of existing language access provisions and their effect on the LEP voting experience. It also examines the experiences of voters who do not have access to in-language materials. The report reveals findings from the series of interviews we conducted with individual LEP voters and with representatives of community-based organizations across California between March and May 2025.
