Or. Admin. Code § 165-024-0025

Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 12, December 1, 2024

Section 165-024-0025 - Translation of Selected County Voters' Pamphlet Materials

(1) This rule governs the required translation of Selected County Voters' Pamphlet Materials by the Secretary of State for all primary, general, and special elections.

(2) The Secretary of State shall translate Selected County Voters' Pamphlet Materials from English into the County List of Languages and shall post the translations publicly on the Secretary of State's website.

(3) The Secretary of State shall bear the cost of translating and posting the portions of the county voters' pamphlets described in this rule.

(4) The Secretary of State shall provide county elections officials with a plain language statement concerning translation of county voters pamphlet materials, for inclusion in each County Voters Pamphlet.

(a) The statement shall be provided in English and in each of the County List of Languages.

(b) The statement shall notify the public that portions of the County Voters Pamphlet have been translated and shall identify where to find the translation.

(5) County elections officials shall do the following:

(a) Include the plain language statement concerning voters' pamphlet translations in the County Voters' Pamphlet;

(A) The plain language statement shall appear in the County Voters' Pamphlet on the page immediately following the county election official's letter to voters or other similar introductory statement;

(B) If a county voters' pamphlet does not include a county elections official's letter or other similar introductory statement, this information shall be prominently placed as close as possible to the cover page of the pamphlet.

(b) Include the plain language statement prominently on the county elections website, together with live hyperlinks directing the public to translated voters' pamphlet material.

(c) Provide county voters pamphlet material to the Secretary of State for translation on the timeline specified in this rule.

(6) The Secretary of State shall cause the following Selected County Voters Pamphlet Material to be translated:

(a) County pamphlet general information including:

(A) County elections official's letter to voters or other official communication by a county clerk, filing officer or other public elections officials;

(B) Elections office services;

(C) Key dates of the election;

(D) Requirements for a citizen to qualify as an elector;

(E) Requirements for voter registration and how to update registration;

(F) How to cast a ballot;

(G) The right of an elector to request a second ballot if the first is spoiled;

(H) The right of an elector to seek assistance in marking the ballot;

(I) The hours and locations of places to deposit official ballots; and

(J) Any maps deemed necessary by the county;

(b) Ballot measure information including:

(A) Ballot title;

(B) Explanatory statement; and

(C) Statements created by state, local and special government bodies.

(7) The Secretary of State adopts the following timelines and coordinates with county elections officials as needed to ensure timely and high-quality translations in county voters' pamphlets:

(a) The county elections official shall provide the Secretary of State with county pamphlet general information for translation no later than the 82nd day before the date of the election.

(b) The county elections official shall provide minor changes to county pamphlet general information for translation no later than the 55th day before the date of the election. The final edits must clearly indicate which text was revised from the previously submitted version.

(c) The county elections official shall provide the Secretary of State with county ballot measure information for translation no later than the 55th day before the date of the election.

(d) The Secretary of State shall provide the county elections official the plain language statement for inclusion in the county voters pamphlet, together with any other official information to assist voters concerning translated material, no later than the 54th day before the election.

(e) The Secretary of State shall post translated county voters' pamphlet materials on the Secretary of State's website no later than the 27th day before the election.

(8) A county may translate any portion of the county voters' pamphlet or accept translations for publication that are not described in this rule for publication on the County's website or in the mailed voters' pamphlet.

(a) The county shall bear the cost of making such additional translations and publishing them on the County's website or in the mailed voters' pamphlet.

(b) Any translation conducted by the county shall be according to the criteria in OAR 165-024-0020.

Or. Admin. Code § 165-024-0025

ELECT 29-2022, temporary adopt filed 08/31/2022, effective 9/1/2022 through 2/27/2023; ELECT 5-2023, adopt filed 01/10/2023, effective 1/11/2023

Statutory/Other Authority: HB3021, ORS 247.005, ORS 246.150, ORS 251.026, ORS 251.167, ORS 251.170, ORS 251.173 & ORS 251.315

Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 251.170 & ORS 251.315