Changes improve elections for YupÂ’iks (fwd link)

[phil cash cash]

Changes improve elections for Yup’iks

MARY LOCHNER
October 23, 2008 at 10:11AM AKST

Yupik-speaking voters saw improved outreach efforts by the Alaska Division of
Elections to welcome them to the voting process and explain how they could vote
in the Aug. 26 primaries, and intentions are to continue those efforts for Nov.
4 elections.

Both sides in a suit against the state to provide adequate voting assistance to
Yup’ik-speaking voters, as required under the Federal Voting Rights Act, noted
improvements during state primaries.

The city of Bethel is also a defendant in the suit. But the state was
specifically ordered in the suit by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Burgess
to do a number of things to help Yup’ik-speakers vote in the primaries. The
list of mandates included providing a standard Yup’ik-language sample ballot
and training bilingual poll workers in Yup’ik-speaking areas.

The results of those efforts are in.

Access full article below:
http://thetundradrums.com/news/show/3599