FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Alberto Lammers
alammers@luskin.ucla.edu 

UCLA VRP VICTORY: Benton, Chelan, and Yakima Counties Settle Important Federal Voting Rights Act Case to Implement New Ballot Signature Verification Procedures 

Richland, Wash. (December 07, 2023) – The Benton, Chelan, and Yakima County Boards of Commissioners in the State of Washington have agreed to change each county’s current signature verification process to ensure that Latino voters can equitably access the ballot box and have their votes counted, after the UCLA Voting Rights Project (UCLA VRP), on behalf of Latino/a voters and organizations, sued the three counties over their verification practices. 

In past elections in these counties, Latino ballots were rejected at significantly higher rates than ballots cast by white citizens. In this suit, individual Plaintiffs, alongside organizations League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and Latino Community Fund of Washington, alleged that the three counties’ applications of Washington’s signature verification process for voted ballots resulted in racial discrimination and deprived Latino voters of equal protection under the United States Constitution. 

Under the settlement agreement, all three counties will require semiannual signature verification training for county auditor election staff, alternates, and designees. Additionally, cultural competency training for county election staff will be required every two years. Furthermore, going forward, ballot materials are to include language on the ballot security sleeve outlining the signature verification requirements and cure process, among other terms. These and other provisions in the agreement should start to even out the rate at which ballots cast by Latino citizens are rejected for signature issues.

The outcome of this settlement comes after years of litigation and investigation by UCLA VRP.

“This settlement is an important step forward in protecting the right to vote of Latino citizens in Chelan, Benton, and Yakima counties. We are proud to have represented our clients who continue to dedicate themselves to voter education and outreach in Latino communities throughout the region. We are proud that many students enrolled in the UCLA VRP clinical education program worked to obtain this win for the community.” said Sonni Waknin, Program Manager and Voting Rights Counsel at the UCLA VRP.  

The UCLA Voting Rights Project is an advocacy project housed within the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute.

###

ABOUT THE UCLA LATINO POLICY AND POLITICS INSTITUTE
The UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute addresses the most critical domestic policy challenges facing Latinos and other communities of color through research, advocacy, mobilization, and leadership development to expand genuine opportunity for all Americans.

ABOUT THE UCLA VOTING RIGHTS PROJECT
The UCLA Voting Rights Project is the marquee advocacy project of the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, and is focused on voting rights litigation, research, policy, and training. The UCLA Voting Rights Project addresses overlooked yet monumental gaps in the field of voting rights. The UCLA Voting Rights Project tackles questions of how to train young lawyers and researchers, support the development of new legal and methodological theories for voting rights cases, and advance policy work, to ensure that there will be a new generation of leaders who are pursuing efforts to guarantee all citizens have equal and fair access to our democracy. The project was founded by Chad W. Dunn, J.D., and Matt Barreto, Ph.D. The UCLA Voting Rights Project is located within the Luskin School of Public Affairs.

To learn more about the UCLA Voting Rights Project, please visit: https://latino.ucla.edu/votingrights.