DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is working to reverse a recent decision allowing Iowans to access voting materials in languages other than English, she said in a Wednesday press release.
Bird has filed an appeal against a Polk County Decision that made voting accessible for those who speak other languages, claiming that the change jeopardizes "election integrity".
"We are appealing the district court's decision to protect election integrity and to uphold our English language reaffirmation act here in Iowa," Bird told Local 5.
The Iowa English Language Reaffirmation Act was signed into law in 2002 and mandated English as the state's official language for all documents — including voter registration, ballots and more.
In June, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) won a battle in district court that loosened those regulations and allowed the right to voting materials in Spanish.
“The Iowa English Language Reaffirmation Act is clear; all official documents are to be written in English—including voter registration forms. We look forward to arguing our case in court to uphold the Act and secure the integrity of our elections," Bird's statement reads in part.
Rep. Adam Zabner, D-Iowa City, said the appeal is a disappointing step backward for voting rights in the state.
His tweet reads in part:
"Citizens in our state have a constitutional right to vote and as the son of immigrants from Venezuela, I understand that language can be a major barrier to exercising that right. Iowa's English-only law brings back the painful specter of the literacy tests that for decades undermined the rights of American minorities to access their voting rights. The AG works for Iowans and her focus should be on protecting our rights, not working to take them away."
Now, LULAC representatives who initially brought forward the case say Bird's appeal is a targeted attack on Latino voters in Iowa.
"What the attorney general is doing is outright voter suppression. And you can even probably call it racism," representative Vielka Rivera said.
Brena Corona, a Latina voter, said the bilingual materials especially help elders in her community access their right to vote. She adds if Bird and Pate are successful in their appeal, families like hers will be greatly impacted.
"My grandmother, who was a citizen, had difficulty with English. So when things like this come up, you know, my concern is about the elders. They're citizens, but maybe they're just not as competent as their children and their grandchildren are with the English language," Corona said.
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