Atlanta, Georgia, November 28, 2018 —

WHAT

Press conference for media about lawsuit filed by Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta (Advancing Justice-Atlanta) and Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles (Advancing Justice-LA) with support from pro bono law firms Buckley Beal, LLP and Alston & Bird, LLP to block a Georgia law that denies limited English proficient (LEP) voters access to an interpreter.

WHEN

Wednesday, November 28th at 11 am EST/ 8 am PST

WHERE

Georgia State Capitol Room CLOB 605 (206 Washington St SW, Atlanta, GA 30334)

WHO

Stephanie Cho, Executive Director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta
Phi Nguyen, Litigation Director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta
Hillary Li, Legal Fellow, Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta

WHY

Organizations have filed the lawsuit to ensure that LEP voters can vote during the December 4th runoff election. Currently, Georgia severely limits who can provide language assistance to LEP voters in state and local elections. The law states that an interpreter must be a family member, attendant caretaker, registered voter in the same precinct even though Section 208 of the federal Voting Rights Act entitles LEP voters to choose anyone--other than a representative of the voter’s employer or union--to be their interpreter. Section 208 gives LEP voters wide latitude to use any interpreter to assist them through the voting process, provided that the interpreter is not a representative of their employer or union.

More than 500,000 Georgians identify as LEP, the vast majority of whom are AAPI and Latino. While AAPIs only make up 3.7% of Georgia's total population, they are approximately 19% of LEP population. Likewise, while Latinos only account for 9% of the state's population, they represent 63% of the LEP population. Thirty-six percent of the AAPI community and 38% of the Latino community in Georgia are LEP.

This press conference will discuss the filing and our continued effort to fight against all voter suppression.