Pitkin County Colorado has decided to print ballots in Spanish despite having no legal obligation to do so.  Election official Dwight Shellman noted that Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act currently does not require Spanish language ballots in Pitkin Colorado, but that they will print them anyhow for the November election:

The county has ordered about 10,000 ballots, the printing of which will cost about $4,300. In addition, it ordered envelopes for mailing them out, and separate envelopes that voters can use to return their ballot to the Clerk and Recorder’s Office. All of the items would need to be in both languages if the county were to run a dual-language election.

Instead, the county is working on the finishing touches of a dual-language sample ballot that voters can pick up at the clerk’s office or view online. Shellman said his office is also willing to put one in the mail to anyone who requests one. Individuals who are more comfortable reading Spanish can use it as a guide as they fill out their official ballot, he said.

“I think it’s a good service that we can provide,” Shellman said.

Shellman said he doubts that Pitkin County would have to provide dual-language voters under the federal criteria anyway (the census counted 716 county residents who identified themselves as Spanish-speakers), but said getting the ballot translated has been a worthy exercise.