NORTH CAROLINA, USA — Political signs at polling sites are not uncommon but one sign is causing a stir.
Several advocacy groups are calling for some Spanish-language voting signs to be removed saying they are intimidating and could turn eligible voters away.
The sign in question has been placed at several polling sites across the state including at the Bette Rae Thomas Recreation Center in Mecklenburg County.
“Most polling sites do allow signs and do allow electioneering although there are certain rules,” said Kathleen Roblez, the Senior Voting Rights Council & Litigation Manager for Forward Justice.
Roblez said this yellow signs from the group called the North Carolina Election Integrity Team crosses the line.
“Just to be clear, the signs are only in Spanish,” said Roblez. “We have gotten a number of reports of people seeing these signs and feeling like they could be intimidating.”
The sign translates to say “Warning: if you are not a citizen of the United States of America, you cannot vote in elections. It is illegal! It is a crime. (18 U.S. code §611.) You could be deported. Don't do it! Paid for by North Carolina Election Integrity Team.”
About two dozen advocacy groups including Forward Justice say this signage is targeting Latino voters.
“I think a lot of people perhaps don't realize how much fear there already is in the Latino community about voting, by people who are eligible to vote,” said Roblez. “They may come from a mixed-status household where, say, their parents are undocumented, and they want to make sure that nothing is done that could be putting their undocumented family members in danger.”
The group sent a letter to the North Carolina State Board of Elections requesting the signs be removed. The letter states in part that “the NCEIT signs placed outside of polling places serve no purpose but to intimidate legally qualified voters from engaging in our political process.”
“It's really just any action that is making you feel uncomfortable,” said Roblez, “making you feel like you don't want to go there, that you don't want to engage in that political process again.”
The letter goes on to claim how voters are already clearly informed when registering to vote that they must be a citizen to register, and the form to register to vote is also available in Spanish, adding in this instance that a private group is “attempting to take over the state’s legitimate role of overseeing elections, by using intimidating threats of legal action and targeting specific groups of voters based on the language they speak– the violation of federal law is even clearer, and the risk of confusion is great.”
NCEIT president Jim Womack told WCNC Charlotte the group's signs are not meant to threaten only to inform.
“We love our Hispanic voters. We cherish them. We revere them. They are the fastest growing segment of our constituency,” said Womack via phone. “There's nothing in those signs that discriminate in any way, shape or form against any Hispanic person."
He adds the signs are in Spanish because the largest group of non-citizens are Spanish-speaking.
“So that folks who may have been unwittingly added to the voter list because they got a driver's license or whatever that they would understand that just because they have a driver's license doesn't mean they can vote,” said Womack.
He said the goal of the signs is to protect non-citizens. He adds the group called La Familia Conservadora assisted with the signs.
“It's a felony to knowingly vote in an election when you're not eligible to vote, it's a felony. And in order to help prevent non-citizens from committing a crime, we thought it would be appropriate to put signs out at those locations so that they're cautioned,” said Womack. “What Hispanic group would be opposed to signs that help avoid criminal activity, help someone be educated about what the law requires, and I can't imagine how anyone would be would object to that.”
Some voters spoke to WCNC Charlotte on Wednesday as they voted early.
“I can see how that could have an effect on somebody,” said Zahaid Rangwla. “I probably wouldn’t want to see that sign and the fact that it is only in Spanish is also very telling.”
“No, I don’t think it is okay,” said Harold Berrios. “I think you should have two signs: one in English and one in Spanish.”
The North Carolina State Board of Elections sent this statement to WCNC Charlotte:
These signs accurately state the law. Without evidence that eligible voters are misunderstanding these signs, there is no authority for an election official to remove them from a voting site.
In North Carolina, we welcome all eligible voters to cast their ballot in this important general election, no matter what language they speak.
The state board of elections reminds voters that you are eligible to vote in your county if you are a united states citizen and North Carolina resident, at least 18 years old on election day, and you’re not serving a felony sentence. Eligible individuals can register to vote at any early voting site in their county. You can find early voting sites and schedules through the early voting site search tool on the state board’s website.
For now, the signs remain.
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.