(Detroit Free Press) Dearborn City Council approved a resolution Tuesday night requiring that ballots and other election materials be translated into Arabic.
The council voted 7-0 in favor of a resolution introduced by Councilman Mustapha Hammoud that will mandate translation into the Arabic language [of] “all official ballots, notices, absentee ballot applications, registration forms, appropriate signage, and affidavits.”
The resolution does not mention Arabic specifically, but says translation will be required for any language that is spoken by at least 5% of the city’s population or 10,000 residents. Arabic is the only language that currently meets that requirement, according to the latest census data.
Hammoud said Wednesday: “It’s a victory for voter access. Voting is one of the most important rights we have as American citizens.”
