PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Do you like to put on your “I Voted” sticker as soon as you cast your ballot on Election Day?
There will be some new options for that sticker in Philadelphia when you go to the polls Nov. 8.
The city’s distinctive “I Voted” stickers, with red lettering and a blue sketch of City Hall, will now come in nine languages.
It’s part of City Commissioner Seth Bluestein’s language access expansion program.
“We are federally required to have all of our materials in English, Spanish and as of this year, Chinese,” Bluestein said. “We added Russian, Vietnamese, Haitian, Khmer, Arabic and Portugese.”
Those are the most common non-English languages spoken in Philadelphia, according to the Census, and will improve access for thousands of voters.
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The focus is on translating voter guides, instructions, ballot questions and other essential information. Voters who don’t speak English as a first language can use a Language Line when they arrive. A volunteer will then point them to a translator, either in person or via telephone.
However, Bluestein says those stickers have symbolic importance.
“When they’re able to vote and then have a sticker in their preferred language saying that they voted and walk around their community and their neighborhood promoting voting,” Bluestein said, “it shows that their vote matters.”