Justice to monitor Alaska primary election for compliance with language requirements

The Yukon-Kuskokwim hub of Bethel is seen from the air on July 13, 2015. The Bethel Census Area, where many residents speak Yup'ik, is one of the rural regions where U.S. Justice Department representatives will be monitoring for compliance with Voting Rights Act language requirements. (Photo by Rachel Loehman/USGS Alaska Science Center)

The U.S. Justice Department plans to monitor operations at polling places in parts of rural Alaska on Tuesday, the state’s primary election day, for compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act.

Monitors have been assigned to majority-Native districts to check for compliance with the requirements for language translations and assistance, including provisions concerning different Yup’ik dialects, the department said on Monday.

The sites selected are the Bethel Census Area, Dillingham Census Area, Kusilvak Census Area, Nome Census Area and North Slope Borough.

Tuesday’s monitoring is similar to efforts in previous elections .

In the past, Yup’ik speakers did not get adequate assistance when they voted in Alaska elections, a federal court found. A 2013 federal lawsuit filed by Yup’ik speakers resulted in a 2014 ruling in favor of the plaintiffs. A 2015 settlement agreement followed, and that agreement was extended last year, with terms to remain in place through 2026, according to the Native American Rights Fund.

Other violations in past Alaska elections concern access for disabled voters , according to the Justice Department. A department investigation found that some polling sites and online resources failed to adequately serve disabled Alaskans trying to vote in 2022 and 2024. The Justice Department called for the Division of Elections to improve conditions at cited polling stations and update its online information.

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