PAWTUCKET – Months after resolving a federal lawsuit concerning alleged voters' rights violations, Pawtucket is once again in hot water over accessibility at the polls.
Common Cause Rhode Island, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to government accountability and democracy, on Thursday alleged that Pawtucket committed several violations under the Voting Rights Act and Help America Vote Act by failing to provide required signage in Spanish.
The violations would also break the terms of a federal consent agreement the that city entered into with the U.S. Department of Justice in May. The department had sued the city for alleged failure to provide Spanish-language assistance to voters, and for prohibiting qualified voters from casting provisional ballots.
Meanwhile, Pawtucket spokesperson Christopher D. Hunter says that city officials were aware of voters' accessibility concerns on Sept. 10, but quickly amended any issues.
The consent agreement between Pawtucket and the Justice Department requires the city to implement a comprehensive, Spanish-language election program, and to rectify access to provisional ballots. Under the Spanish-language program, Pawtucket must make all election-related information available in English and Spanish at in-person polling locations and online.
During the Sept. 10 primary, Common Cause R.I. sent several dozen volunteers to polling locations throughout the state, the Rhode Island chapter of the national nonprofit said, as part of an established Election Protection program.
In Pawtucket, volunteers "documented numerous violations of the city’s consent order," the organization said in a statement. Specifically, Common Cause says, the city failed to provide signage in Spanish providing information about required forms of voter ID; the right to cast a provisional ballot; basic voting rules and requirements; and the availability of a bilingual hotline for voters.
Common Cause R.I. is now calling on city, state and federal officials to investigate the identified concerns, develop a plan for fair access during the general election in November and provide additional oversight at the polls.
"Despite being sued by the U.S. Department of Justice, the City of Pawtucket failed its voters during the recent primary election," Common Cause R.I. executive director John Marion said in a statement.
“Pawtucket must immediately investigate the problems Common Cause R.I. uncovered and issue a report so that immediate steps are taken to be ready for the November general election.
"The Rhode Island Board of Elections needs to provide necessary oversight of Pawtucket elections," Marion continued, "and the U.S. Attorney’s office needs to provide additional federal observers to make sure voters in Pawtucket are able to exercise their rights in the upcoming election."
Spokesperson Adam T. Cyr. said the Justice Department monitored the Sept. 10 primary election, though declined to comment any further.
Hunter said that federal observers were present at Pawtucket's Sept. 10 polling locations, and "whenever any issue was brought to the [Board of Canvassers'] attention, they were promptly addressed."
"The systems put in place by the BOC worked," Hunter said. "Based on feedback received by the BOC, the September primary was a success."
Hunter also acknowledged the issues raised by Common Cause R.I., adding that the city appreciates the nonprofit communicating its concerns.
"The few issues that they did identify and notify us about on Sept. 10 were addressed promptly," Hunter said. "For example, after being notified that Spanish language voting information had not been posted at six out of 28 Pawtucket polling places, the BOC quickly posted this voting information in Spanish."
Since May, the city's Board of Canvassers has "been working closely with the U.S. Department of Justice" to adhere to the consent agreement and "ensure that our City's Spanish speaking residents are able to exercise their right to vote," Hunter said.
These efforts have included hiring a bilingual elections coordinator; translating all voting information for elections into Spanish; recruiting dozen of Spanish-speaking poll workers to the city's voting locations; enhancing its poll worker training in partnership with the Rhode Island Board of Elections; and establishing a hotline for Spanish-speaking voters to access information or report concerns.
Common Cause R.I. sent a letter detailing its concerns to Ken McGill, city registrar for Pawtucket; the Pawtucket Board of Canvassers; Zachary A. Cuhna, U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island; Jennifer L. Johnson, chair of the Rhode Island Board of Elections; and Gregg Amore, Rhode Island Secretary of State.
(UPDATE: Adds comment from U.S. Justice Department in 12th paragraph.)
Jacquelyn Voghel is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Voghel@PBN.com.
