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LULAC sues Iowa over state's 'English-only' voting law

The law was signed in 2002 by Governor Tom Vilsack. At that time, it didn't include election ballots, but that changed in 2008.

IOWA, USA — Iowa's League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) filed a lawsuit over what they say is years of failure to provide non-English election materials for voters who do not speak the language.

The law was signed in 2002 by Gov. Tom Vilsack. At that time, it didn't include election ballots, but that changed in 2008.

LULAC's policy director Joe Henry said the legal action against the state focus on the law passed in 2008, which allows translated materials if they are, "necessary to secure the rights guaranteed by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America or the Constitution of the State of Iowa."

In response to the petition, the Iowa Secretary of State's office has said their language usage follows a court order.

"The Iowa Secretary of State’s Office is still under injunction stemming from a 2008 court decision which prevents the dissemination of official voter registration forms for this state in languages other than English," said a spokesperson from the state office. "LULAC is aware of that fact. They openly recognized it in their own petition."

Read the full petition here.

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