For Immediate Release
July 27, 2006

Contacts:
Citizens Union Foundation Sara Stuart 212-227-0342 x16
917-566-1462
Amy Ngai 212-227-0342 x22
646-339-4938
Korean American League for Civic Action Taehyo Park 212-633-2000

New York Immigration Coalition Alan Kaplan 212-627-2227 x236

PRESS RELEASE

Civic and City Groups Call on New Yorkers to Become Poll Workers and
Language Interpreters on Election Day

Representatives from New York City's civic organizations, Board of
Elections, and the City Council assembled today to call attention to
the need for more qualified bilingual Election Day workers and
interpreters for this fall's upcoming Primary and General Elections.
The recent renewal of the Voting Rights Act highlights the importance
of integrating new immigrants into the democratic process. Nearly a
quarter of New York City's voting age citizens are not yet proficient
in English, and in order to ensure that such voters are not
disenfranchised, proper language assistance and translation is
necessary at the polls on Election Day.

In New York City, the Voting Rights Act mandates that Spanish,
Chinese, and Korean-speaking interpreters be available to assist
voters not yet proficient in English at designated poll sites.
However, qualified multi-lingual individuals are also encouraged to
apply for other poll worker positions such as information clerk, door
clerk, and inspector. The City Board of Elections needs over 30,000
poll workers in order to administer each election. Applications must
be submitted by mid-August to be considered and trained to work for
the Primary Elections.

The organizations and offices in attendance included the New York City
Board of Elections, Citizens Union Foundation, the New York
Immigration Coalition, and the Korean American League for Civic
Action. City Council members John Liu, Rosie Mendez, and Diana Reyna
were also present to give their support for the recruitment effort.

"The Board is always looking to increase the number of interpreters
that can help us assist those voters who need help at the polls on
Election Day," said John Ravitz of the New York City Board of
Election. "The position of interpreters plays a key role in ensuring
that voters have as easy a time as possible to cast a vote. I urge all
individuals who would like to participate to contact us at
866-VOTE-NYC so that we can get them trained to work for the September
12th Primary."

Council Member John C. Liu, the first Asian American elected to the
New York City Council, stated: "Voting is the most fundamental right
and responsibility of citizenship and we need to ensure equal access
to the ballot for all New Yorkers, including the 25% of voters who are
limited English speakers. That's why it's so important to recruit
qualified bilingual interpreters at the polls and I encourage all
those interested to apply."

"At a time when the immigration debate is motivating unprecedented
numbers of immigrants to become citizens and vote, our member groups
have launched Democracy in Action, a community empowerment campaign
that combines civic participation, grassroots action, and public
education. Recruiting bilingual poll workers is an important part of
the campaign, as it will ensure that no voters are disenfranchised
because of their language ability," said Chung-Wha Hong, executive
director of The New York Immigration Coalition.

"Citizens Union Foundation is proud to partner once again with the
Board of Elections for the fourth year to recruit more poll workers,
especially language interpreters to serve on Election Day," said Dick
Dadey, Executive Director of Citizens Union Foundation. "Interpreters
are not only mandated by federal law, but perform a vital service in
ensuring that language is not an impediment to participating in our
democracy. We are happy to offer New Yorkers the only comprehensive
and secure website, www.citizensunionfounation.org/pollworker, where
individuals may submit online applications for poll worker and
language interpreter positions."

"Many immigrants travel a long road to become citizens and to exercise
their rights as new Americans," said Immigrant Affairs Commissioner
Linares. "One of those rights is voting. Making sure that all citizens
have access to the polls means having bilingual workers ready to
assist voters. I encourage anyone who is bilingual to contact the
Board of Elections to learn about how they can make a difference for
voters and our City."

"Being an interpreter on Election Day is more than an act of
generosity," said Taehyo Park, Executive Director of the Korean
American League for Civic Action. "It is upholding the law mandated
by the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which entitles citizens with limited
English proficiency to language assistance, it is safeguarding our
democratic values, and most importantly, it is helping citizens
properly exercise one of the most basic and fundamental rights – the
right to vote."

Interpreters work in designated areas of need, and they must be fully
bilingual in Spanish, Chinese or Korean and in English. Spanish
interpreters are required throughout the five boroughs, Korean
interpreters are required in Queens, and Chinese interpreters are
required in Queens, Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Poll workers can earn $25 for attending and passing a training class
and then $200 for a day of work at a polling site, and an additional
$35 bonus for working both the Primary and General Elections.

---

Language Interpreter/ Election Day Worker Recruitment Campaign
Supporting Organizations

Over forty organizations join Citizens Union Foundation, Korean
American League for Civic Action and the New York Immigration
Coalition in urging New York's multi-lingual residents to participate
as Election Day workers, including:

Afghan Communicators
AFL-CIO--NY Chapter
American Association of Jews from the Former USSR
Asian & Pacific Islander Coalition on HIV/AIDS
Asian American Bar Association of New York
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)
Asian Americans for Equality
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance
Asian Pacific American Voters Alliance (APAVA)
Bangladeshi American Friendship Association
Bangladeshi American Public Affairs Front
Burmese Women of New York
Cabrini Immigrant Services
Chinese American Association of the City of New York
Chinese American Voters Association
Church Alive Community Church
Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF)
College Democrats of America Disability Caucus
Council of Pakistani Organizations
Korean American Association of Greater New York (KAAGNY)
Korean American Community Empowerment Council
Korean American Family Service Center
Korean American Voters' Council (KAVC)
The Korean Community Services of Metropolitan NY (KCS)
Myanmar Youth Association
National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum
National Association of Korean Americans – Greater New York
National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC 294)
New Immigrant Community Empowerment
New York City League of Women Voters
New York Public Interest Research Group
New York State Young Democrats Disability Issues Caucus
Organization of Chinese Americans – Long Island and NY Chapters
People for the American Way
Russian American Voter Education League (RAVEL)
Services and Education for Korean Americans
Sikh Cultural Society of NY
South Asian Bar Association of New York
South Asian Youth Action
UNITE! Local 23-25
United Sikh Coalition
The Voter Enfranchisement Project at The Bronx Defenders
Women's City Club
YKASEC-Empowering the Korean American Community

---

List of poll worker positions, descriptions and eligibility requirements:

Interpreter

Description of Work: Assists non-English speaking voters by
translating voting information given by the Inspector and answering
voter questions. May also assist non-English and limited-English
speaking voters in voting booths.

Requirements: Permanent U.S. resident, New York City resident, 18
years of age, fluent in English and Interpreter's language.

---

Inspector/Poll Clerk

Description of Work: Generally responsible for the operations in the
ED poll site, including opening the polls, serving voters and closing
the polls including accuracy of canvass. Inspectors must stay for
completion of canvas and tally. Ensures that Affidavit Ballot
envelopes are completed correctly and signs each one. Operates the
party lever on the voting machine for Primaries and Officer's Control
Handle for all elections. Reminds each voter the curtain remains
closed and how the voter handle works. Collects a completed voter card
from each voter.

Requirements: U.S. citizen, registered voter in New York City
enrolled in Democratic or Republican Party

---

Information Clerk

Description of Work: Uses the Street Finder and Poll Site List to
direct voters to their correct ED/AD and poll site - one or more at
sites with 4 or more EDs. Is seated at a table at or near the main
entrance to the poll site.

Requirements: Permanent U.S. resident, New York City resident, and 18
years of age. Fluent in English.

---

Door Clerk

Description of Work: Ensures that the alternate entrance is accessible
throughout the day. Monitors the entrance to prevent unauthorized
individuals from entering. Checks to see that a ramp with handrails
and/or platform are in place if required. Assists but does not provide
physical help to disabled voters entering the site. Checks that the
access posters and directional arrows, and "Vote Here/Vota Aqui" signs
are hung properly.

Requirements: Permanent U.S. resident, New York City resident, and 18
years of age.

###

--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JohnLiuNews18" group.
To post to this group, send email to JohnLiuNews18@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to JohnLiuNews18-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/JohnLiuNews18
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---