By Patrick Donachie
Voter registration forms will now be available in five new languages, according to an announcement from the city Campaign Finance Board and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs.
Campaign Finance Board Executive Director Amy Loprest announced voter registration forms would now be made available in Arabic, French, French Creole, Russian and Urdu. Loprest said the new translated forms would open voter participation to thousands of people.
“Today New York City is sending a simple message to all its citizens: that we want you to vote, that your voice matters and that our city works better when your voice is heard,” she said July 14. “Voters want and deserve clear, reliable information about elections that they can trust. Unfortunately, too many voters go looking for this information and cannot find it.”
The city also intends to provide voter registration forms in additional languages. Besides the five new languages, voter registration forms were already available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Bangla. Mayor Bill de Blasio expressed his support for the expansion of voter registration form availability, saying it would only serve to strengthen New York’s electoral process.
“No one should be disenfranchised because of their language,” he said. “New York is a city of immigrants, and these forms will help New Yorkers of every background cast their ballots on Election Day.”
Reach reporter Patrick Donachie by e-mail at pdona
