Breaking language barriers for Navajo voters in Arizona elections

More from this show

A group of Navajo voters are helping with a language barrier for voters. Many Navajo voters only speak Navajo but cannot read it. So the issue becomes how can they understand the ballot for this election.

Navajo leaders have devised a solution: a translation that voters who are not proficient in English could listen to at the polls.

Jen Fifield, Senior Reporter at Votebeat, covered the story and joined us to talk about how Navajo leaders decided to do it and what it will mean for a group of voters who showed up for the 2020 election and were instrumental.

Arizona is one of the states required to provide ballots in Indigenous languages.

According to Fifield, this occurs through section 203 of the Federal Voting Rights Act.

“If you have a large community who doesn’t speak English well, you need to provide them a way to understand their ballots,” Fifield said.

This is a major issue for the Navajo nation, one that can have an impact on the 2024 election.

“We have about 7,000 residents that don’t speak or write English. Well, they’re not completely literate in English, and so these are mostly older people who have lived on the reservation maybe their entire life, referred to as elders. They need a way to listen to their ballot,” Fifield said.

According to Fifield, this what the law requires.

“Basically, you have to be able to vote in a way that anyone else is able to. You have to get information to fully understand your ballot and to understand what you’re voting on,” Fifield said.

This has a significant impact on the Navajo Nation, as the language is unique. It is a primarily oral language and not necessarily written. It is also very difficult to translate.

“That makes it extremely challenging, especially just because translating from English to Navajo is difficult to begin with, but now you’re trying to translate these complicated election terms,” Fifield said.

Navajo leaders posed the solution of making an audio ballot that can be translated into Navajo. This will allow Navajo-only speakers to vote without having to read a ballot they don’t understand.

Jen Fifield, Senior Reporter, VoteBeat USA

Former President Jimmy Carter
airs Jan. 9

Remembering President Jimmy Carter

Graphic reading: Playlist 48 Connect: A Harmony of Beats and Bonds
Jan. 7

Join us for Connect: A Harmony of Beats and Bonds

A photo of South Mountain with the text: Tower Project

Our tower upgrade reaches planning phase: Here’s how you can help

A dark graphic with books and snowflakes with text reading: Winter Reading with Arizona PBS

Books from Arizona authors to add to your winter reading list

Subscribe to Arizona PBS Newsletters

STAY in touch
with azpbs.org!

Subscribe to Arizona PBS Newsletters: