Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Bilingual workers trained to assist Hispanic voters

Census: 5 percent of population speaks Spanish

Walter Abrego-Flores, an instructor with the Clark County Election Department, trains bilingual workers to assist Hispanic voters during this year's elections. To comply with a federal law against voter discrimination, county officials will train about 500 bilingual workers and post signs in Spanish in heavily Hispanic precincts for the Sept. 7 and Nov. 2 elections. Photo by John Gurzinski. Potential election workers look at English and Spanish signs that will be posted at various precincts countywide during the primary and general elections. Photo by John Gurzinski. A bilingual election trainee learns to activate a voting card during a training session at the Clark County Election Center on Tuesday. The cards are used in electronic voting machines. Photo by John Gurzinski.

Joseph Travieso wants Hispanic voters to feel comfortable at the polls.

"A lot of people are afraid to vote because they do not understand and are afraid to ask," the Las Vegas resident said. "Once they see somebody of their own language, they talk to you like they know you and are part of their family."

Travieso is training to become one of about 500 bilingual election workers. Clark County will employ them to assist Spanish-speaking voters during the upcoming primary and general elections.

Larry Lomax, Clark County's registrar of voters, said because at least 5 percent of the county's population listed their primary language as Spanish in the 2000 census, the county is required by federal law to conduct all future elections in Spanish and English.

According to Clark County's Department of Comprehensive Planning, more than 423,000 Hispanics currently live in the county. Between 50 and 60 of the county's 329 precincts have a high concentration of Spanish speakers.

Thomas Rodriguez, executive manager for diversity and affirmative action programs for Clark County schools, said Hispanics haven't historically had high voter turnout in the United States.

Rodriguez said he attributes some of the low turnout to Hispanics who have gained citizenship within the past decade. He said those Hispanics come from countries where democracy is not a way of life.

"They are not used to voting, and sometimes, voting can cost you your life," Rodriguez said.

County officials are training about 5,000 workers to staff the Sept. 7 and Nov. 2 elections. All workers must be registered voters. They will be paid $120 for working each election.

Potential workers began training seminars June 1 for the positions of clerk, operator and polling place assistant. Clerks sign in registered voters. Operators work polling machines, and polling assistants set up signs and fill in for clerks and machine operators when they need a rest. All potential workers must complete one class that lasts between two and four hours.

Elsa Garcia, an administrator with Clark County, said all bilingual workers are required to attend seminars taught only in English, a sign that bilingual workers are competent in both languages.

In addition to personal assistance and posted signs in Spanish, there will be 440 new touch-screen voting machines that can be operated in Spanish and English. Each precinct will have at least one of the machines, Garcia said.

Lomax said dropout rates are high for potential workers, estimating that 10 to 15 percent of nonbilingual workers and 25 percent of bilingual workers won't complete the program.

"It's hard to recruit, not only bilingual workers, but workers in general, when you're only working for two days," Lomax said.

Some Nevadans would prefer to keep Spanish speaking voters away from the polls altogether.

"If they are American citizens, why can't they speak English?" asked Janine Hansen, president of the Nevada Eagle Forum, a conservative group based in Sparks. "There should only be English ballots and poll workers."

Rodriguez said that even with low voter turnout, Hispanics can have political clout if they make it to the polls.

"The numbers are so large, that even if a small number vote, it will be big enough to influence a major election," Rodriguez said. "Those political leaders that ignore the Hispanic vote today, may regret it tomorrow."