Language Accessibility Advisory Committee (LAAC)

Quarterly Meetings

• 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm
• 3rd Thursday of January, April, July, and October (first month of each quarter)
• Remote via Zoom

See log-in information

Agendas & Minutes

Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval.

View Most Recent Agendas and Minutes

Invitation to Interested Members of the Public

We encourage you to consider becoming a committee member. If interested or to find out more, please get in touch with the Yolo County Elections Office at 530-666-8133 or email the elections office.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Able to serve at least one year
• Able to attend meetings (currently virtual)

and

• Experience with non-English speaking communities, advocacy or outreach
• Understanding of barriers faced by voters with limited English proficiency (LEP)

Committee membership is limited; however, all interested voters and advocates are invited to attend and participate.

Overview

The Language Accessibility Advisory Committee (LAAC) is an advisory committee to the Yolo County Elections Office.

The Yolo County Language Accessibility Advisory Committee (LAAC) assists and advises the Yolo County Elections Office with the implementation of federal and state laws related to access to the electoral process by voters with limited English proficiency (LEP). The Yolo County Elections Office and the LAAC are dedicated to identifying and finding solutions to eliminate language barriers for LEP voters so that all persons who are eligible to vote can understand the voting process.

All meetings are open to the public and public participation is encouraged.

Members of the LAAC are volunteers. There is no stipend or reimbursement for participating in the LAAC.

Focus

The Yolo County Elections Office will pursue opportunities and suggestions provided by the LAAC. These recommendations may lead to actions such as the creation of new voter education and outreach materials, or the revision of existing materials. in-person presentations, virtual meetings, or the distribution of educational materials to organizations serving communities with limited-English proficiency. Other topic areas include:

• Informational materials and website
• Voter education and outreach materials
• Community group engagement
• Election worker diversity
• Election terminology and translations
• Youth involvement
• Sensitivity and inclusion
• Barriers to voting
• Election worker recruitment and training
• Best use of social media
• Multimedia resources
• Initiatives and events that promote voting among LEP voters
• Disseminating information to LEP communities

November 5, 2024 General Election

Current activities by members of the LAAC:

• Reviewing translated materials for publication in the November 5, 2024 General Election
• Providing resources for recruitment of bilingual vote center staff
• Highlighting events and venues for outreach

Pre-Election Preparation Every Election

Prior to each major election and in collaboration with the LAAC, Yolo County will conduct bilingual voter education workshops to provide information about:

• The Voter's Choice Act voting model
• Voting equipment demonstrations and accessibility features
• Using translated facsimile ballots as a reference when voting
• Bilingual assistance or telephone interpreters at Vote Centers
• Ballot Drop Box and Vote Center information
• Successfully voting by mail
  • Signing the envelope properly
  • Witnessed voter's "mark"
  • Authorizing someone to return your ballot
• How to "cure" challenged vote-by-mail ballots due to missing signatures or signatures not matching

LAAC Committees across California

Local Language Accessibility Advisory Committees across California provide a forum for voters who prefer using a language other than English, their representatives, and advocates to discuss issues they encounter in the voting process while fostering cooperation and building confidence in the election process. LAAC members can recommend improvements to vote centers, voter materials, websites, and county election procedures. Committee members can also provide feedback on voting locations, voting systems, and other accessibility-related matters like voter outreach.

Local LAAC committees help election offices open lines of communication with local residents ensuring elections officials can address issues directly and minimize misunderstandings, preventing misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation. Local LAACs are also a great resource for recruiting poll workers.

The California State VAAC  page provides information about the Statewide Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee, which is responsible for making recommendations for improving access to voting and election materials on the state level.

The California County LAAC and VAAC  page on the California Secretary of State's website contains a list of the counties that have established local VAAC advisory groups and their corresponding meeting information.