Justice Department oversees elections in Colfax County
OMAHA — The U.S. Department of Justice was monitoring Colfax County primary elections in eastern Nebraska on Tuesday to ensure compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act.
The department also announced it would monitor elections in Bergen County, N.J.
A written release from the Justice Department said the counties are obligated under federal law to provide all election information, ballots and voting assistance information in Spanish and English.
The department said its attorneys planned to coordinate the federal oversight and maintain contact with local election officials.
Asked by The Associated Press whether the oversight was prompted by a complaint, the federal department’s public affairs office declined to comment.
However, Colfax County Election Commissioner Rita Mundil said Tuesday that she was unaware of any complaints regarding elections in her county.
“I think they’re viewing my county because I have bilingual ballots,” Mundil said. “In fact, we’re the only county in Nebraska that has bilingual ballots.”
Neal Erickson, deputy secretary of state for elections, confirmed that Colfax in the only Nebraska county required by the Justice Department to print bilingual ballots. However, he said Sheridan County in northwest Nebraska is required to have a translator for Lakota, an American Indian language.
Likewise, the Justice Department had asked Mundil to hire poll workers who speak both Spanish and English at three precincts in the Colfax County seat of Schuyler, which has a large Hispanic population. Mundil said she was able to find bilingual poll workers for two of those precincts.
“I couldn’t find a bilingual poll worker for the third precinct, but I do have bilingual greeters there,” she said. “You do what you can.”
Schuyler lies about 60 miles west of Omaha. According to 2006 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, Hispanics make up more than 33 percent of the county’s more than 10,000 residents.
The Census Bureau’s 2000 findings show that of Schuyler’s 1,748 households, nearly 480 were occupied by Hispanic families.
By midday Tuesday, no problems had been reported — with bilingual issues or otherwise, Mundil said.
“But turnout has been pretty light,” she added.
The department also announced it would monitor elections in Bergen County, N.J.
A written release from the Justice Department said the counties are obligated under federal law to provide all election information, ballots and voting assistance information in Spanish and English.
The department said its attorneys planned to coordinate the federal oversight and maintain contact with local election officials.
Asked by The Associated Press whether the oversight was prompted by a complaint, the federal department’s public affairs office declined to comment.
However, Colfax County Election Commissioner Rita Mundil said Tuesday that she was unaware of any complaints regarding elections in her county.
“I think they’re viewing my county because I have bilingual ballots,” Mundil said. “In fact, we’re the only county in Nebraska that has bilingual ballots.”
Neal Erickson, deputy secretary of state for elections, confirmed that Colfax in the only Nebraska county required by the Justice Department to print bilingual ballots. However, he said Sheridan County in northwest Nebraska is required to have a translator for Lakota, an American Indian language.
Likewise, the Justice Department had asked Mundil to hire poll workers who speak both Spanish and English at three precincts in the Colfax County seat of Schuyler, which has a large Hispanic population. Mundil said she was able to find bilingual poll workers for two of those precincts.
“I couldn’t find a bilingual poll worker for the third precinct, but I do have bilingual greeters there,” she said. “You do what you can.”
Schuyler lies about 60 miles west of Omaha. According to 2006 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, Hispanics make up more than 33 percent of the county’s more than 10,000 residents.
The Census Bureau’s 2000 findings show that of Schuyler’s 1,748 households, nearly 480 were occupied by Hispanic families.
By midday Tuesday, no problems had been reported — with bilingual issues or otherwise, Mundil said.
“But turnout has been pretty light,” she added.
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