Borough Park

Mazel Tov! Voter forms translated into Yiddish

Board of Elections expands language accommodation

September 23, 2016 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Assemblymember Dov Hikind pushed for the new voter registration forms. Photo courtesy of Hikind’s office
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The Board of Elections is printing voter registration forms in Yiddish this election season, and one Brooklyn lawmaker is hailing the move as an inclusive gesture to the city’s Jewish population.

Assemblymember Dov Hikind said that he had requested back in December of 2015 that the Board of Elections translate voter registration forms into Yiddish.

Up to now, ballots and other materials generated by the Board of Elections had been translated into Bengali, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and Russian.

Hikind, a Democrat who represents the heavily Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Borough Park, said he felt it was time to expand the available Board of Elections languages to Yiddish. “There are thousands of Yiddish-speakers in my district and New York State,” Hikind said in a statement.

In a letter to Board of Elections President Michael Michel, Hikind wrote that making the registration forms available in Yiddish would encourage speakers of the language to register to vote because the process would be comfortable, inviting and user-friendly.

“I invite you to take a look at any newsstand near my office, where you will see dozens of Yiddish language newspapers, magazines and other publications, attesting to the vibrancy and every day usage of the language,” Hikind wrote.

“Everyone deserves the right to have their voice heard and be able to vote. Now Yiddish speaking constituents can now register with ease,” Hikind said.

Hikind urged all eligible voters to register to vote in the Nov. 8 election. “I urge all who have not yet registered to vote, to take the time now, to do so. Applications must be postmarked no later than Oct. 14 and received by a board of elections no later than Oct. 19 to be eligible to vote in the General Election,” he said.

Voter registration forms are available at Hikind’s office at 1310 48th St. The office is located on the second floor.

The forms can be download at http://www.nyccfb.info/PDF/nyc_votes/forms/YI_Registration_Form.pdf.

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