Georgia counties named in DHS review of multilingual ballots
FILE Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
ATLANTA - An internal Department of Homeland Security email identified three metro Atlanta counties that provide some election materials in languages other than English, according to NPR.
What we know:
Cobb, DeKalb and Gwinnett counties were included on a list attached to a Dec. 19 email sent to senior DHS officials. The email referred to a "Criminal Checklist outlining requirements for prosecution of voter related charges."
The checklist was redacted, and the documents do not outline any enforcement action against the counties or plans to send federal agents to polling places.
NPR first reported on the email. The Democratic National Committee obtained it through a public records lawsuit.
Why the counties were listed
Federal law requires some communities to provide translated election materials based on population and language needs.
Gwinnett County has provided ballots in English and Spanish since 2016. It has also voluntarily translated some sample ballots into Korean, Mandarin and Vietnamese.
The DHS document says Cobb and DeKalb provide sample ballots in Spanish and Korean. Cobb Elections Director Leigh Phillips said her county provides sample ballots in English.
DHS responds
A DHS spokesperson said Immigration and Customs Enforcement does not plan to patrol polling places and conducts targeted enforcement based on specific intelligence.
Only U.S. citizens may vote in federal elections. DHS and the Justice Department said they are investigating potential cases of noncitizen voting.
Voting-rights advocates said federal immigration enforcement near polling locations could discourage some eligible citizens from voting.
A 2024 review by the Georgia Secretary of State’s office found 20 noncitizens among 8.2 million registered voters. Nine had cast ballots in previous elections, according to the Georgia Recorder.