Chicago's 12-language ballots make elections 'harder to monitor,' Illinois GOP chair warns

Illinois Republican Party Chairman Bob Grogan is raising alarms about Chicago's decision to offer ballots in a dozen languages this election, saying the variety makes it tougher for outsiders to keep tabs on a voting system that is already intricate. He told Fox News Digital that poll judges and party observers face added difficulty confirming that each voter receives the correct ballot, and he called the practice "big city virtue signaling."

Grogan, who spent 12 years as DuPage County auditor, also doubted that many voters truly depend on some of the translations. He said the Gujarati-speaking friends he knows all speak English at home, and noted that English is an official language in India.

The Chicago Board of Elections says federal law under Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act obligates it to provide Spanish, Chinese and Hindi materials in certain precincts. A spokesperson said the remaining languages are offered so Chicago aligns with Cook County Clerk practice, giving everyone in the county equal opportunities. Board data from the March primary show very small usage of some options: nine ballots in English-Gujarati, 15 in English-Urdu, 10 in English-Arabic, and 25 each in English-Russian and English-Ukrainian.

Summarized by PolitiKool from Fox News’s reporting. Read the full story at Fox News →