(a)  Pursuant to Section 203 of the Federal Voting Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1973aa-la, a city or town shall be subject to the provisions of the bilingual voting materials requirement whenever the Director of the Census determines, based on census data, that:

(1)  More than five percent (5%) of the citizens of voting age of a city or town are members of a single language minority and are limited-English proficient; or

(2)(i)  More than ten thousand (10,000) of the citizens of voting age of a city or town are members of a single language minority and are limited-English proficient; and

(ii)  The illiteracy rate of the citizens in the language minority as a group is higher than the national illiteracy rate.

lawyer at desk

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 17-19-54

  • town: may be construed to include city; the words "town council" include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9

(b)  Whenever a city or town subject to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section provides any registration or voting notices, forms, instructions, assistance, or other materials or information relating to the electoral process, including ballots, it shall provide them in the language of the applicable minority group as well as in the English language.

(c)  Whenever the state provides any registration or voting notices, forms, instructions, assistance, or other materials or information relating to the electoral process, including ballots, to a city or town subject to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, it shall provide them in the language of the applicable minority group as well as in the English language.

(d)  The provisions of this section shall apply to all ballots issued or required under the provisions of this chapter.

History of Section.
P.L. 2001, ch. 396, § 1.