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Californians Applaud Senate Elections Committee Unanimous Vote on SB 266
SACRAMENTO — California voters and community advocates commended the Senate Elections Committee vote today on SB 266, authored by Sen. Sabrina Cervantes. Co-sponsored by the Asian Law Caucus, California Common Cause, and the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA), SB 266 protects California’s freedom to pick our leaders and have an equal say in the decisions that impact our lives, whether we speak Spanish, Tagalog, Somali, or another language.
“Voting is how we speak up for things that matter to our communities like jobs that pay enough and healthcare we can afford,” said Muna Shegow, a voter from San Diego. “Somali-speaking voters, like me, can’t always vote easily because the ballot isn’t in a language we understand. SB 266 makes sure we can, no matter what language we speak.”
With SB 266, counties will be required to provide votable ballots in a non-English language once the community who speaks that language comprises at least 3% of a precinct’s voting age population. SB 266 also expands Sec. 14201’s requirements to all languages, ending the current federal exclusions. Under California’s current state law, many eligible voters are blocked from voting in their language, including Spanish-speaking voters in 28 counties and Tagalog-speaking voters in 23 counties.
If SB 266 were to pass, counties throughout the state would be required to provide votable ballots in several languages for the first time. For example:
- Contra Costa County would be required to provide votable ballots in Tagalog, Arabic, Korean, and Vietnamese for the first time, among other languages depending on the precinct. Already, the county provides votable ballots in Chinese and Spanish.
- San Diego County would be required to provide votable ballots in Arabic, Korean, Japanese, and Lao for the first time, depending on the precinct. Already, the county provides votable ballots in Chinese, Spanish, Filipino, and Vietnamese.
- San Francisco County would be required to provide votable ballots in Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Arabic, among other languages depending on the precinct. San Francisco currently voluntarily provides votable ballots in Tagalog and is required to provide votable ballots in Chinese and Spanish.
- Los Angeles County would be required to provide votable ballots in Bengali, Hindi, Telugu, and Amharic for the first time, among other languages depending on the precinct. Already, the county is required to provide votable ballots in Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, Cambodian, Spanish, and Vietnamese and voluntarily provides ballots in Armenian, Persian, Japanese, Khmer and 10 other languages.
SB 266 will now be considered by the Senate Appropriations Committee. At today’s hearing before the Elections Committee, SB 266’s co-sponsors shared how the bill is California’s opportunity to keep our state at the forefront of an inclusive democracy.
“This bill is rooted in the lived realities of voters who’ve too often been excluded,” said Rahmo Abdi, Director of Organizing and Campaign at PANA. “When voters can read their ballots in their preferred language, they’re empowered to make informed choices and engage fully in our democracy.”
“If SB 266 is passed, California voters will be able to vote in more languages than ever before. Korean-language ballots would be available in 21 additional counties, including Riverside County. Arabic ballots in parts of Fresno County, and Los Angeles, and Spanish ballots in cities like Watsonville,” said Deanna Kitamura, Voting Rights Managing Attorney at the Asian Law Caucus. “All Californians, no matter what language we use, deserve to understand our ballots, so that we can vote with confidence, accuracy, and fully participate in our democracy.”