Filed Date: Oct. 6, 2011
Closed Date: March 28, 2014
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This is a case about the protection of voting rights of Spanish-speakers in Ohio who have limited English proficiency. The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) filed this action in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio on October 6, 2011, against the Lorain County Board of Elections (BOE). The government alleged violations of Section 4(e) of the Voting Rights Act because the BOE failed to provide ballot and voting information in Spanish and did not hire bilingual poll workers to assist during elections. As such, the DOJ sought declaratory and injunctive relief. The case was assigned to Judge Solomon Oliver, Jr.
The next day, on October 7, the parties filed a joint settlement agreement. The agreement required that the BOE provide, in Spanish, information about all stages of the electoral process pertaining to elections and the procedure for registering to vote. The BOE also agreed to provide bilingual instructions on voting machines and information about bilingual absentee and provisional ballots. The BOE was further required to appoint a Bilingual Election Program Coordinator and to recruit and hire bilingual poll workers for any elections. The agreement also requested that the court enter an order allowing for the appointment of federal observers that would be allowed access to all elections in Lorain County. The BOE was charged with evaluating the efficacy of all bilingual election programs after each election cycle.
The agreement was set to terminate on March 30, 2014, provided that the BOE achieved substantial compliance with the agreement during the two previous election cycles. The appointed observers filed reports on the general and primary elections in 2012 and 2013. Pursuant to these reports, on March 28, 2014, the DOJ voluntarily dismissed the case.
Summary Authors
Claire Butler (12/30/2022)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/38480641/parties/united-states-v-lorain-county/
Culliton, Katherine M. (Ohio)
Herren, T. Christian (Ohio)
Heyer, Michelle L. (Ohio)
Mellett, Timothy F. (Ohio)
Innes, Gerald A. (Ohio)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/38480641/united-states-v-lorain-county/
Last updated July 10, 2025, 9:24 p.m.