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Florida authorities have to provide Spanish-language election materials in 32 counties with Puerto Rican populations, a federal judge said on Friday, granting some of what Puerto Rican voters and several Latin American defense groups had asked for. But the judge concluded that there would not be enough time before the November elections to make any other changes that the plaintiffs had requested.
In a harsh, sometimes sarcastic, speech, Judge Mark E. Walker of the United States District Court of North District Florida, issued an injunction directing Secretary of State Kenneth W. Detzner to issue instructions. vote for the next mid-term elections, both online and in polling stations. The ordinance also asked for posters in Spanish at polling stations to inform voters that ballots are available.
But Judge Walker refused to require counties to provide official Spanish-language newsletters, accepting Florida's argument that "it would be impossible, almost impossible," to do so within two months. remain before the elections. But he wrote that the plaintiffs had shown "a substantial likelihood of success on the merits" in their lawsuit, which aims to require such ballots in the future.
In the meantime, the standard ballots must match the official "size, information, layout, placement and policy" ballots so that Spanish-speaking voters can use them on polling day to fill the official ballot. English. the decision said.
Justice Walker, who was appointed to the bench by President Barack Obama in 2012, has repeatedly fought against Scott's administration, especially in the case of voting rights. And in his Friday order, he clearly expressed his exasperation from his first words.
"Here we are again," he writes. "The clock arrives at 6 o'clock in the morning." I Got You Babe "from Sonny and Cher starts playing The locals and visitors to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, are eagerly awaiting the prediction of the groundhog.And the state of Florida is accused of violating federal law in the election processing.
Esperanza Segarra, senior lawyer of Latino Justice, who filed the lawsuit, called it a "good decision".
"This will help many Puerto Rican citizens in Florida to vote," said Ms. Segarra. "The limited relief we have received is still a positive start, and there is no limitation for future relief in the upcoming elections."
The Florida State Department will ask county election monitors to comply with the order, said spokeswoman Sarah Revell.
"Florida is the biggest crucible in the world and we do not want registered voters to be able to exercise their right because of a language barrier," said John Tupps, director of communications for Gov. Rick Scott. "The federal law determines which counties are required to provide ballots in Spanish and the Florida State Department provides voting materials in English and Spanish. We are pleased that more countries are doing what we are already doing at the state level. "
Section 4 (e) of the Voting Rights Act 1965 prohibits the government from depriving an elector of his right to vote because he was unable to read, write, understand or interpret a subject in English. for example – "in which the predominant language was other than English". This provision was drafted specifically to protect the right to vote of Puerto Ricans, who are US citizens.
"Voting in a language you do not understand, it's like asking this court to decide the winner of the Nobel Prize for chemistry – ineffective, in other words," Judge Walker wrote. "Courts have long considered that the right to vote includes not only the right to physically enter a polling station and fill in a ballot, but also the right to understand and understand what is on this ballot. vote.
Fifteen of Florida's 67 counties already provide Spanish language newsletters. Of the remaining 52 counties, 32 have a Puerto Rican population and the lawsuit concerns only these 32 counties.
In 27 harsh pages, Judge Walker stated that Mr. Detzner had "predictably" tried "to escape federal jurisdiction" and that the court had reiterated its obligations "with tedious regularity". organizations and individuals to sue in federal court to get a minimum respect of the plain language of a venerable law of 53 years.
Patricia Mazzei contributed to the report.
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