AN ACT AUTHORIZING BILINGUAL BALLOTS IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN THE CITY OF WORCESTER.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same as follows:
SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law or the city charter of the city of Worcester to the contrary, the board of election commissioners of the city of Worcester may conduct any preliminary, general or special election involving solely municipal offices or municipal ballot questions in English and Spanish.
SECTION 2. In exercising the authority granted by section 1, the board shall: (1) produce clear, complete and accurate Spanish translations of the content of all ballots, sample ballots, petition forms, instructions to voters, voting notices, voting location information and signage and any other material relating to such election; (2) ensure that all election materials translated into Spanish are posted or distributed to the public either on paper or electronically on a parallel basis with all election materials produced and posted or distributed to the public in English; and (3) provide oral voting assistance in English and Spanish.
SECTION 3. The results of any election conducted prior to the effective date of this act are hereby ratified, validated and confirmed as if this act had been in effect on the date of such election.
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
Approved May 1 , 2008