(1)The secretary of state shall establish a multilingual ballot hotline to provide access
to a qualified translator or interpreter in each of the languages in the state that has
at least two thousand citizens age eighteen years or older who speak English less
than very well, as defined by the United States bureau of the census American
community survey or comparable census data, and who speak a shared minority
language at home, and in any additional languages the secretary determines by
rule is needed to assist electors in translating ballot language. The multilingual
ballot hotline shall be established for use during the general election held in
November 2022, and for every general election and statewide odd-year election
thereafter.
(2)The secretary of state shall provide n
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(1)
The secretary of state shall establish a multilingual ballot hotline to provide access
to a qualified translator or interpreter in each of the languages in the state that has
at least two thousand citizens age eighteen years or older who speak English less
than very well, as defined by the United States bureau of the census American
community survey or comparable census data, and who speak a shared minority
language at home, and in any additional languages the secretary determines by
rule is needed to assist electors in translating ballot language. The multilingual
ballot hotline shall be established for use during the general election held in
November 2022, and for every general election and statewide odd-year election
thereafter.
(2) The secretary of state shall provide notice on the secretary's website and
shall create signs to be posted by county clerks at all voter service and polling
centers to inform electors that the multilingual ballot hotline is available to electors
statewide from the first day that domestic ballots for statewide general and
coordinated elections are mailed to electors through election day. The multilingual
ballot hotline must be available anytime a voter visits a voter service and polling
center during that center's hours of public operation. The multilingual ballot hotline
must be available to all other voters between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through
Friday beginning the first day that domestic ballots for statewide general and
coordinated elections are mailed to electors through the Friday before election day.
The hotline must be available to all voters between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on the Monday
before election day and on election day.
(3) The secretary of state shall ensure that each translator or interpreter
who provides translations for the multilingual ballot hotline is a qualified translator
or interpreter in the language or languages in which the translator or interpreter
provides ballot translation assistance. A qualified translator or interpreter shall
provide assistance with translation of ballot language only and shall not provide
explanations of or arguments for or against any candidate or question included on
the ballot.
(4) The secretary of state shall promulgate rules in accordance with article 4
of title 24 as may be necessary to create and administer the multilingual ballot
hotline, including rules regarding hiring or contracting for qualified translators or
interpreters to staff the multilingual ballot hotline. The secretary of state may
include rules for sharing qualified translator or interpreter resources with other
state agencies.