Judge tells Alaska to offer voting material in Native languages

Thursday, June 5, 2014  

A federal judge has told the state of Alaska it must offer voting materials in three Native languages.

The state argued that it was providing translators when needed. But Judge Sharon Gleason said the Voting Rights Act requires materials to be translated into Yup'ik, Cup'ik and Gwich'in.

The Native American Rights Fund filed Toyukuk v. Treadwell on behalf of two tribes and two Native voters. The Department of Justice is siding with the plaintiffs, The Anchorage Daily News reported.

Gleason still plans to hold a trial to address issues raised by the plaintiffs.

Get the Story:
Feds say state election officials wrong on Native language rules (The Anchorage Daily News 6/5)
State says Treadwell’s testimony in language case would ‘waste time’ (The Alaska Dispatch 5/30)