Translated elections materials for voters with limited English proficiency remove barriers to voting and enhance voter confidence. To assist in efforts to produce high-quality translated materials, the Oregon Secretary of State Elections Division and the Translation Advisory Council (Council) collaborated with professional translators and bilingual county staff to develop election glossaries in thirteen languages. The glossaries include Council-approved translations of terms to ensure uniformity across elections, regardless of whether materials are for state, county, municipal, or district elections and regardless of who the translators and Council members are on a project. The Glossaries include definitions, so voters have an official reference resource when reading pamphlets and marking their ballots. In the second stage of the project, the glossaries will include translations of the definitions.
The Secretary of State asks contractors, vendors, elections officials, and the Council to use the glossaries whenever working with or creating translated materials. The Council accepts suggestions for additional election terms or revisions to the glossary via email at TAC.info@sos.oregon.gov.