JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF VIETNAMESE-SPEAKING VOTERS
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Justice Department today announced the signing
and approval of an agreement reached with Harris County, Texas to protect the
rights of Vietnamese-speaking voters. The memorandum of understanding and
agreement details the countys responsibilities in providing qualified
minority-language voters full access to the voting process.
The agreement was signed by the countys chief election official, Harris
County Clerk Beverly Kaufman and approved today by the Harris County
Commission.
This agreement underscores our commitment to protecting the rights of
minority-language citizens, said Mr. Acosta. Active participation in the
political process binds us more fully as a nation. I commend Harris County and
Ms. Kaufman for their cooperation.
In July 2002, the Census Bureau determined that Harris County has nearly
17,000 voting age United States citizens who speak Vietnamese. Section 203 of
the Voting Rights Act requires jurisdictions with a substantial
minority-language voter population to provide voting materials in that
language.
After the county had difficulty fulfilling their obligations towards
Vietnamese-speaking voters, Civil Rights Division attorneys monitored the
countys 2003 elections and identified the specific problems they faced. The
agreement provides specific steps to be taken by the county to remedy these
problems. These solutions were crafted with the close cooperation and
recommendations of county officials, including Ms. Kaufman.
The steps the county will take under the agreement include the following:
– hire an individual to coordinate the countys Vietnamese language election
program;
– provide all voter registration and election information and materials,
including the voting machine ballot, in Vietnamese, as well as English and
Spanish;
– establish a broad-based election advisory group to make recommendations and
assist in election publicity, voter education and other aspects of the
language program; and
– train poll officials in election procedures and applicable federal voting
rights law.
Section 203 also applies to all political subdivisions and units within Harris
County.
Accordingly, the Agreement also requires the cooperation of all cities, school
districts and other entities in Harris County that contract with the County to
conduct their elections. The Agreement is flexible to meet the evolving needs
of Harris County voters. The Civil Rights Division will remain involved to
provide insight and technical assistance.
The effort in Harris County is a part of the Civil Rights Divisions broader
effort to ensure full and fair access to the ballot for all voters. The
Division has reached out to each of the 80 jurisdictions newly covered by
Section 203 to make sure that they are aware of their obligations. Also, the
Division has worked with each state and covered territory to implement the
federal election reform requirements of the Help America Vote Act of 2002.
