Language Requirements for Election Materials

Language requirements for election materials are governed under the federal Voting Rights Act and the state Elections Code.

Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act requires that in certain situations (counties where more than 10,000 or 5% of all total voting-age citizens who are members of a single language minority group, have depressed literacy rates, and do not speak English very well) election materials that are available in English must also be made available in the language of particular minority group.  Section 203 targets those language minorities that have suffered a history of exclusion from the political process:  Spanish-heritage, Asian, Native American, and Alaskan Native.

The U.S. Census Bureau identifies the specific language groups for states and county jurisdictions, based on census information, every 5 years. The latest Section 203 determination was December 8, 2021.  The next determination is expected in December 2026.

For more information on Section 203, please visit the Department of Justice’s website: https://www.justice.gov/crt/about-language-minority-voting-rights.

California Elections Code section 14201 further requires that county elections officials provide a translated facsimile ballot and related instructions in a conspicuous location in precincts where 3% or more of the voting-age residents are members of a single language minority and lack sufficient skills in English to vote without assistance.  The Secretary of State is required to make these Section 14201 determinations by January 1 of each year in which the governor is elected. 

Pursuant to Elections Code section 14201(b)(1), the Secretary of State has reinstated prior precinct minority language determinations in addition to the designations made on December 31, 2021, see CCROV#22039. These language determinations shall be effective for elections conducted on June 7, 2022, and thereafter and shall remain in effect until further notice.

For more information on Section 14201: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=ELEC&sectionNum=14201.

The chart below identifies the language requirements for each county under Section 203 of the federal Voting Rights Act and Elections Code section 14201.  Please note that this chart is based upon 2016 and 2020 precinct information and data, as previously provided by the California Statewide Database at U.C. Berkeley.  The requirements provided in the chart will remain in place through December 31, 2025.  The next determinations will be issued by January 1, 2026.  

For additional translation resources, please see our website at:  https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/voting-california.

None

Past Determinations

• CCROV #22039 Reinstated Languages Required under California Elections Code section 14201, Language Minority Determinations
• CCROV #21221 Language Requirements: 14201, Language Minority Determinations
• CCROV #21204 Language Requirements: Voting Rights Act, Section 203 Language Minority Determinations
• CCROV #20096 Additional Languages Required under California Elections Code section 14201, Language Minority Determinations
• CCROV #17148 Language Requirements: 14201, Language Minority Determinations
• CCROV #16333 Language Requirements: Voting Rights Act, Section 203 Language Minority Determinations