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Re: Eric Mitchell's question:
I asked Patty Skogrand, who's on the Green caucus committee what the Green
Party was doing regarding translators.
I'm the caucus convener for 65 B. I'm pretty sure I could get some sort of
interpretation on my own from friends, but I would need some lead time. It
could get tricky if the ones I have in mind were planning on attending their
own caucus!
Thanks, Patty, and thanks to Eric and Ellen for asking--
Elizabeth Dickinson
West Side
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Hello Elizabeth,
Here is what the statute on Caucuses states (Chapter 202A) this is what is
legally required.
202A.155 Interpreter services; caucus materials
A communicatively impaired individual who needs interpreter services at a
precinct caucus shall so notify the major political party whose caucus the
individual plans to attend.
Written notice must be given by certified mail to the county or legislative
district committee of the political party at least 30 days before the
precinct caucus date. The major political party, not later than 14 days
before the precinct caucus date, shall secure the services of one or more
interpreters if available and shall assume responsibility for the cost of
the services. The state central committee of the major political party
shall determine the process for reimbursing interpreters.
A visually impaired individual may notify the county or legislative
district committee of the major political party whose precinct caucus the
individual plans to attend, that the individual requires caucus materials in
audiotape, Braille, or large type format. Upon receiving the request, the
county or legislative district committee shall provide all official written
caucus materials as soon as they are available, so that the visually
impaired individual may have them converted to audio tape, Braille, or large
print format prior to the precinct caucus.
202A.156 Interpreter services and accessible precinct caucus exemptions
A major political party is not required to:
(1) provide an interpreter for a convention or precinct caucus if it has
made documented good faith efforts to locate and assign an interpreter,
including contacting an interpreter referral center or regional service
center for the hearing impaired, and no interpreters are available; or
(2) hold a precinct caucus at a place that meets the accessibility
standards for precinct polling places specified in section 204B.16,
subdivision 5, if it has made documented good faith efforts to locate and
secure an available accessible site within a reasonable distance of the
precinct, and no accessible site is available.
This is what is required by law of all parties. I am sure that if someone
were to contact the Green Party or any Green Party conveners we would still
try to find an interpreter even if their request came after the 30 day
deadline. I suppose that the law was hammered out as a compromise to give
parties enough time to find an interpreter and to make it mandatory for them
to find one if given the 30 day notice. No compromise would be perfect for
everyone. I suppose maybe if the state lined them up and paid for them in
every major party caucus that would be best.
I don't know what other parties do, if they strictly follow only what is
required or if they also try to accommodate people as best they can.
A few things to consider though. Interpreters are sometimes in great
demand, caucus night is one of those times. Even though a party try to find
one for that night they might not be able to. I think the law is trying to
make it reasonable for both the person needing the interpreter and the party
holding caucuses. If each party had to have or have at a days notice an
interpreter to cover each precinct caucus, there is likely not enough
interpreters available around the state. Let say you (or any caucus
convener) got a call the day before your caucus how likely are you to be
able to find one in one day? 2 days? a week? Maybe 30 days is too long, I
don't know.
Also cost is a factor, I don't know what interpreters cost, but if the GPMN
had to have one in every caucus for sign language and the many other
languages that people who might attend might need it would cost more than is
likely to be in the GPMN bank account at any given moment. With research it
might be possible to estimate which language interpreters would be needed at
each location. Currently the GPMN does not have the volunteer power to have
done this.
I will forward this to the caucus committee and forward this along to the CC
as well.
I think we will have to send out instructions in the next packet going out
to conveners that if they get a request for an interpreter for them to
contact the GPMN CC or the GPMN Caucus committee so that even though the 30
days is past we can at least try to comply with the request.
Elizabeth, it is ok to post my opinion to the St. Paul list. Even though I
am on the caucus committee these comments only represent my own uninformed
opinion. I will definitely bring it up to be discussed more at the next
caucus committee meeting.
Also, we still need a few conveners in the St Paul area. 66A which is the
circle within Larpenture- Arcade-Minnehaha- Maryland-and Victoria
and 53A and B which includes Lexington Circle pines, Shoreview, North Oaks,
White Bear Lake areas.
Thanks,
Patty Skogrand
Caucus Committee volunteer
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