AP16:010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 8, 2016
CONTACT: Sam Mahood
(916) 653-6575
Secretary of State Alex Padilla Invites Applications to Language Accessibility Advisory Committee
Deadline for membership applications is January 15, 2016
SACRAMENTO – The deadline to apply for the Secretary of State’s Language Accessibility Advisory Committee (LAAC) is in one week. The LAAC is an all-volunteer committee established to advise the Secretary of State on issues related to language accessibility for elections and elections materials. The membership application period is open until January 15, 2016.
“There is still time for Californians to join our Language Accessibility Advisory Committee to ensure every voter has equal access to the ballot,” California Secretary of State Alex Padilla said. “For many of California’s nearly 18 million registered voters, English is a second language. The Secretary of State’s office provides voter information in 10 languages to meet the needs of our diverse state. It is critical to Democracy that all eligible citizens can easily understand the voting process.”
The committee will consist of at least 15 members who have demonstrated language accessibility experience, and have knowledge of methods for presenting elections materials.
An informal LAAC has met with the Secretary of State’s office on a monthly basis since December 2013. In September 2015, the Governor signed Assembly Bill 1443, establishing the LAAC as a formal advisory committee to the Secretary of State.
As required by the federal Voting Rights Act, California prepares voter information pamphlets in 10 languages — English, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Tagalog, Thai and Vietnamese — for nearly 18 million registered voters.
Requirements for appointment:
- Commitment to meet once-per-month in Sacramento, or at a teleconference location.
- Desire to improve election accessibility for language minorities.
- Ability to advise on outreach initiatives, and provide support to program leads.
- Motivation to complete work and see real results.
Language Accessibility Advisory Committee (LAAC) Membership Application 2016
Questions about the application process and completed applications can be submitted to laac@sos.ca.gov.
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