New York City, often called America’s melting pot, has people who speak over 200 different languages, says the Department of City Planning. For the upcoming U.S. presidential election, the city will provide ballots in four more languages besides English: Chinese, Spanish, Korean, and Bengali. This effort aims to help people who may find it hard to vote due to language differences, making it easier for them to understand and participate in the voting process.

The addition of Bengali language on the ballot is very important for the South Asian community, as it represents languages from the Indian subcontinent in this small group. Subhshesh, a sales agent in Times Square with Bengali roots, shared his appreciation for this addition, especially for people like his father who lives in Queens.

He explained, “People like me know english, but there are many in our community who are comfortable in the native language. This helps them at the polling station. I am sure my father will like the idea of seeing a Bengali-language ballot paper.” For many Bengali-speaking voters, this support allows them to take part confidently in voting, especially those who may not be fully comfortable with English.

Michael J. Ryan, the Executive Director of the New York City Board of Elections, explained why Bengali was included on election ballots. He said, “We are required to service four other languages besides English. It is Chinese, Spanish, Korean, and Bengali as the Asian languages.” Ryan shared that the decision to add Bengali came from a legal requirement to improve language access for voters.

Previously, a lawsuit about language access highlighted the need to help South Asian communities in crowded areas. The settlement from this lawsuit required New York City to offer a ballot in an Asian Indian language, and after some discussions, Bengali was selected.

What are the legal requirements and historical background?

Adding Bengali to the ballots isn’t just a choice; it’s a legal requirement. New York City is legally required to provide Bengali ballots at some polling stations under the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This law protects minority communities' rights by making sure language support is offered at voting sites. In New York City, Bengali ballots were first introduced in 2013, two years after the federal government ordered that an Asian Indian language should be available to help South Asian voters in the Queens area.

Dr. Avinash Gupta, President of the Federation of Indian Associations, highlighted how important this change is. He said, “It will help the Indian population to go out and vote. That is how we can get our voices heard. We are a sizable population. It is heartening to see how Indians go out and vote and even contest elections.” Dr. Gupta believes that making voting easier for South Asians will encourage more people from the community to take part in U.S. elections, helping them feel more involved and represented.

Impact on the Bengali-speaking Community

Adding Bengali to the ballots is expected to help Bengali speakers from India, Bangladesh, and other South Asian countries living in New York. Although there are many South Asian languages, including Bengali is a helpful start. For Bengali-speaking people, having ballots and election materials in their own language makes it easier to take part in voting without worrying about language barriers.