Fredrick Lahm:
As New Yorkers engage in early voting ahead of the June 24 primary elections, the New York City Civic Engagement Commission (CEC) has continued its efforts to ensure no voter is left behind due to language barriers. Through its Voter Language Assistance Program, the Commission has provided in-person interpretation in 13 languages across select polling sites, supporting a more inclusive democratic process for voters with limited English proficiency.
From June 20 through June 22, early voters across the city received guidance and support in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), French, Haitian Creole, Italian, Korean, Polish, Russian, Urdu, Yiddish, and other key languages. These services are set to continue on Election Day, June 24, helping ensure equitable access to voting information and procedures.
In Parkchester, a Bronx neighborhood home to a significant immigrant population, the value of such services is particularly evident. Although no official polling sites in the area have been publicly confirmed as designated interpretation hubs for this cycle, community advocates and leaders have called on city agencies to maintain and expand language services in future elections.
Among those championing this cause is Save the People USA, a Bronx-based civic and advocacy organization. With a track record of collaboration with the CEC, the group has helped bridge communication gaps for many first-time and non-English-speaking voters. During early voting, Fatima Niass, Office Manager at Save the People USA, actively engaged residents, supported voter education efforts, and helped gather feedback on local language needs.
Community members in Parkchester have expressed growing concern about ensuring continued access to these services in upcoming election cycles. Local advocacy has focused on preserving interpreter funding, increasing multilingual outreach, and recruiting volunteers who reflect the neighborhood’s linguistic diversity.
Calls to “save the people working with the Civic Engagement Commission at Parkchester” have emerged not just as a slogan but as a community directive—an effort to safeguard vital infrastructure that supports civic inclusion in one of New York’s most linguistically diverse districts.
Organizations and individuals are also encouraging residents to contact the CEC and the NYC Board of Elections to advocate for sustained support at local polling stations. Emphasis has been placed on community-based partnerships to help the city better identify and respond to voter language needs.
With Election Day just ahead, these efforts serve as a crucial reminder: in a multilingual city, language access is not optional—it is essential for a functioning democracy. The collaboration between civic agencies and grassroots partners like Save the People USA illustrates how voter support can be expanded not just at the ballot box, but long before a vote is cast.
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