Make Voting in California Accessible for Everyone (SB 1360)

California is one of the most diverse states in the nation, with more than 43% of households speaking a language other than English at home and approximately 3.2 million eligible voters - one in eight voters - who are limited-English proficient (LEP). These voters often face systemic barriers when language assistance is unavailable or insufficient.    While existing protections under the Voting Rights Act of 2001 provide a foundation, gaps in coverage and enforcement leave many communities without the support they need to participate fully in elections. Section 203 of the federal Voting Rights Act requires translated voting materials only when a single language minority group exceeds specific population thresholds, excluding many communities that still require assistance. At the same time, weakening federal enforcement and emerging efforts to restrict voting access have increased the urgency to strengthen state level protections. Please support Senate Bill (SB) 1360 (Cervantes) which will strengthen and modernize protections of voting rights and expand equitable access to the ballot by enhancing language access requirements, improving transparency and accountability in election administration, and establishing stronger safeguards against voter suppression.  Please support SB 1360 to ensure that all Californians can fully and meaningfully participate in our democracy regardless of the language they speak.