MAYOR DE BLASIO, COUNCIL SPEAKER JOHNSON, COUNCIL MEMBER TREYGER AND CITY COUNCIL EXPAND INTERPRETATION SERVICES FOR ELECTION DAY 2018

New Yorkers will have access to City interpreters at approximately 100 poll sites in Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island, assisting voters who speak Russian, Haitian Creole, Italian, Arabic, Polish or Yiddish

  Mayor Bill de Blasio, Council Speaker Corey Johnson, Council Member Mark Treyger and the City Council today announced additional efforts to make voting easier for limited English proficient voters. Building upon the 2017 poll site interpretation pilot, the Administration will provide interpretation services at approximately 100 poll sites throughout Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island this Election Day, November 6, 2018.

Currently, the Board of Elections provides interpretation services in certain poll sites in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean and Bangla, as required by the Voting Rights Act. The Administration will be filling a gap across communities by providing interpretation services in the additional six most commonly spoken languages among limited English proficient eligible voters at poll sites with the greatest concentrations of these individuals. These languages are Russian, Haitian Creole, Italian, Arabic, Polish and Yiddish.

Using Census data and to ensure nonpartisanship, the City took a scientific and statistical approach when identifying poll sites in election districts with the highest needs for these services. Led by the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, this project complements efforts by the BOE to lower language barriers to voting.

“The language you speak and understand should not be a barrier to civic participation,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Voting should be an easy task, and we’re upholding that truth by identifying and filling gaps in communities where translation services are needed. Whether it’s Haitian Creole, Russian or Arabic, we’re making sure that you’ll be able to participate in our democracy no matter what language you speak.”

“We want all New Yorkers to be a part of our democracy, which is why the Council along with the de Blasio Administration is increasing access to language interpreters at polling sites. Close to 40 percent of New York residents are foreign-born, so we know there is a need for these kinds of services. I encourage all eligible New Yorkers to get out and vote this Election Day,” said Council Speaker Corey Johnson.

“Our diversity is what makes New York City so unique and special,” said Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives J. Phillip Thompson. “This investment in interpretation services will help ensure that the language you speak is not a factor in casting your ballot, and that our diversity is reflected in our elections and government.”

“No New Yorker should be prevented from exercising her constitutional right to vote because she cannot speak English,” said Bitta Mostofi, Commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs. “By placing interpreters at select poll sites in languages beyond the minimum required by law, we are taking a momentous step towards full and true access to the polls for all voters, no matter how they say ‘I voted.’”

“Participating in elections is a fundamental right that we will continue protect, regardless of the language you speak,” said Chief Democracy Officer Ayirini Fonseca-Sabune. “I applaud Mayor de Blasio and the City Council for making interpretation services a priority and removing a critical barrier to voting so all New Yorkers can make their voice heard on November 6th.”

“Voting should be easy and accessible. We need to address our city’s low voter turnout and make our democracy more inclusive, particularly in communities where systemic barriers exist. I’m proud to have advocated for and secured funds for a pilot program to provide interpreters for Russian and Haitian Creole speakers at 20 poll sites in Brooklyn last year, and prouder still of working with Speaker Johnson and Mayor de Blasio to expand the program this year to include more languages, activating and empowering civic engagement amongst more New Yorkers,” said Council Member Mark Treyger.

This year, more New Yorkers from a diverse set of backgrounds will have additional tools to exercise their right to vote. The de Blasio Administration has invested $640,000 to provide interpretation services at approximately 100 poll sites identified as having the highest need for these services in Russian, Haitian Creole, Italian, Arabic, Polish and Yiddish. This investment includes the hiring of personnel through Langlo Inc., a City-certified M/WBE language services vendor. MOIA partnered with Common Cause New York to provide training and is also assisting with additional supervision.

As part of this nonpartisan effort to limit barriers to voting, MOIA and the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit partnered to analyze detailed census data. This data helped identify the top 15 languages spoken by limited English proficient New Yorkers: Russian, Haitian Creole, Italian, Polish, Arabic, Yiddish, Greek, Albanian, Tagalog, Urdu and French, in addition to the languages covered by the Voting Rights Act.

MOIA and CAU further analyzed this census data to identify the percentage of people within these populations who are 18 years or older and eligible to vote to determine where the highest need for interpretation services at poll sites exist. MOIA then selected approximately the top 100 poll sites among the top six languages, based on the availability of resources for this project.

These services will be available entirely at a voter’s voluntary discretion. Staff will be provided with a four-hour training that mirrors the BOE’s own training, including non-electioneering protocols, providing interpretation services, maintaining voter privacy, the voting process and New York City’s Election Day operations. Poll site project staff will operate at a minimum of 101 feet outside of a poll site, per BOE’s specifications, and will accompany voters into poll sites upon request. Staff will identify themselves by wearing pins with “interpreter” listed in English and the additional language they speak.

City interpreters will be available from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM on Election Day. In the lead up to Election Day, MOIA staff will educate communities about these services.

Last year’s pilot program has outlined the City’s work for Election Day 2018. In 2017, the poll site interpretation pilot provided interpretation services in Russian and Haitian Creole at 20 poll sites in Brooklyn.

  

“Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy and giving people the opportunity to participate in the language they are most comfortable with makes for a more informed and inclusive electorate,” said Congressman Joe Crowley. "This project will help voters who need assistance in a language other than English and will help elections officials better serve our diverse communities. I applaud the Office of Immigrant Affairs for this initiative which will help expand voter access across the city.”

2018 Poll Site Interpretation Services

Staten Island: 1 site

Poll Site Name	Poll Site Address	Language(s)
PS 39 Francis J. Murphy Jr.	71 Sand Lane	РУССКИЙ - Russian

Queens: 14 sites

Poll Site Name	Poll Site Address	Language(s)
JHS 157-Stephen A Halsey	63-55 102 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 175-Lynn Gross Discovery School	64-35 102 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 206-Horace Harding School	61-02 98 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 139-Rego Park	93-06 63 Drive	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 220-Edward Mandel	62-10 108 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 99-Kew Gardens	82-37 Kew Gardens Road	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Evelyn & Lou Grn Res	19-15 Seagirt Blvd	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 154-Queens	75-02 162 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 165-Edith K. Bergtraum	70-35 150 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 117-J.Keld / Briarwood School	85-15 143 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
JHS 217-Robert A. Van Wyck	85-05 144 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Forest Hills HS	67-01 110 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 34-John Harvard	104-12 Springfield Boulevard	KREYÒL AYISYEN - Haitian Creole
PS 207-Rockwood Park	159-15 88 Street	ITALIANO - Italian

Brooklyn: 86 Sites

Poll Site Name	Poll Site Address	Language(s)
Shorefront YM-YWHA	3300 Coney Island Avenue	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 23	1875 East 17 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 52	2675 East 29 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 128	2075 84 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 206	2200 Gravesend Neck Road	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Bay Academy-IS 98	1401 Emmons Avenue	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 226	6006 23 Avenue	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 209	2609 East 7 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Trump Village Bldg 7A	2942 West 5 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Marlboro Memorial Post	300 Avenue X	РУССКИЙ - Russian
IS 96	99 Avenue P	РУССКИЙ - Russian
St. Marks School	2602 East 19th Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Seacoast Towers	1311 Brightwater Avenue	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 682	50 Avenue P	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 90	2840 West 12 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 254	1801 Avenue Y	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 216	350 Avenue X	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 153	1970 Homecrest Avenue	РУССКИЙ - Russian العربية - Arabic
PS 197	1599 East 22 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 62 JHS	700 Cortelyou Road	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 99	1120 East 10 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
William E. Grady CTE High School	25 Brighton 4 Road	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 238	1633 East 8 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Ed R Murrow HS	1600 Avenue L	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 177	346 Avenue P	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Agudath Sr Ctr	817 Avenue H	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 346	1400 Pennsylvania Avenue	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 188	3314 Neptune Avenue	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 286	2525 Haring Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Trump Village Bldg 3A	444 Neptune Avenue	РУССКИЙ - Russian
St. Brendan Senior Apartments L.P.	1215 Avenue O	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 195	131 Irwin Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Kings Highway Public Library	2115 Ocean Avenue	РУССКИЙ - Russian
JASA Comm Ctr	161 Corbin Place	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Vandalia Ctr	47 Vandalia Avenue	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 217	1100 Newkirk Avenue	РУССКИЙ - Russian
East Midwood Jewish Center	1625 Ocean Avenue	РУССКИЙ - Russian
James Madison HS	3787 Bedford Avenue	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Merkaz Community Center	1739 Ocean Avenue	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 329	2929 West 30 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Marien Heim Community Center	870 Ocean Parkway	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Haber House	3024 West 24 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 179	202 Avenue C	РУССКИЙ - Russian
IS 14	2424 Batchelder Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Sephardic Comm Ctr	1901 Ocean Parkway	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 186	7601 19 Avenue	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Kings Bay YM-YWHA	3495 Nostrand Avenue	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 97	1855 Stillwell Avenue	РУССКИЙ - Russian
O'Dwyer Community Center	2945 West 33 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Brightwater's Comm Room	501 Surf Avenue	РУССКИЙ - Russian
IS 228	228 Avenue S	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Regina Pacis Housing	2424 Cropsey Avenue	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Flatbush Park Jewish Center	6363 Avenue U	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 95	345 Van Sicklen Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Youth Center	2739 Harway Avenue	РУССКИЙ - Russian
PS 194	3117 Avenue W	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Harway Terrace	2475 West 16 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
New Utrecht HS	1601 80 Street	РУССКИЙ - Russian
Roosevelt Hall	2946 Bedford Avenue	KREYÒL AYISYEN - Haitian Creole
PS 269	1957 Nostrand Avenue	KREYÒL AYISYEN - Haitian Creole
PS 152/PS 315	725 East 23 Street	KREYÒL AYISYEN - Haitian Creole
PS 68 JHS	956 East 82 Street	KREYÒL AYISYEN - Haitian Creole
Canarsie HS	1600 Rockaway Parkway	KREYÒL AYISYEN - Haitian Creole
PS 276	1070 East 83 Street	KREYÒL AYISYEN - Haitian Creole
PS 249	18 Marlborough Road	KREYÒL AYISYEN - Haitian Creole
F.Bennett American Leg. Post	5601 Avenue N	KREYÒL AYISYEN - Haitian Creole
PS 251	1037 East 54 Street	KREYÒL AYISYEN - Haitian Creole
PS 115	1500 East 92 Street	KREYÒL AYISYEN - Haitian Creole
The Joan Snow Pre-K Center	3610 Glenwood Road	KREYÒL AYISYEN - Haitian Creole
Flatbush YMCA	1401 Flatbush Avenue	KREYÒL AYISYEN - Haitian Creole
PS 203	5101 Avenue M	KREYÒL AYISYEN - Haitian Creole
IS 395/PS 109	1001 East 45 Street	KREYÒL AYISYEN - Haitian Creole
PS 114	1077 Remsen Avenue	KREYÒL AYISYEN - Haitian Creole
IS 246	72 Veronica Place	KREYÒL AYISYEN - Haitian Creole
IS 71 -Juan Morel Campos	215 Heyward Street	אידיש - Yiddish
Independence Towers Senior Center	114 Taylor Street	אידיש - Yiddish
PS/IS 180	5601 16 Avenue	אידיש - Yiddish
Boro Park YM-YWHA	4912 14 Avenue	אידיש - Yiddish
PS 223 IS	4200 16th Avenue	אידיש - Yiddish
PS 131	4305 Ft Hamilton Parkway	אידיש - Yiddish
PS 192	4715 18 Avenue	אידיש - Yiddish
McGuiness Sr Ctr	715 Leonard Street	POLSKI - Polish
POLSKI - Polish Slavic Culture Center	177 Kent Street	POLSKI - Polish
JHS 126	424 Leonard Street	POLSKI - Polish
St. Cecilia	24 North Henry Street	POLSKI - Polish
PS 227 JHS	6500 16 Avenue	ITALIANO - Italian