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Bill

S 509

South Carolina Higher Education Day

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Greg Hembree

Mandates English and Haitian Creole ballots for state and Randolph town elections; the Secretary funds state ballots; Randolph's registrars prepare town ballots.

Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 509

Note: the metadata you provided (title about a New York transit no-fare program, sponsors who are U.S. Senators, committee referrals to Transportation, etc.) conflicts with the actual bill text. This summary is based on the bill text included in your submission (Senate Docket No. 2491 / Senate No. 509), which is a Massachusetts local act requiring bilingual ballots in English and Haitian Creole for the municipality known as the town of Randolph.

Summary

Purpose

To require preparation and provision of ballots in English and Haitian Creole for state and town elections held in the municipality legally styled “the city known as the town of Randolph,” in addition to any other languages required by law, with defined responsibilities for who prepares the ballots and who pays for state-election costs.

Key provisions

  • Definitions (Section 1): Defines terms used in the act — “Board” (board of registrars of the town), “Town” (the city known as the town of Randolph), “Election,” and “State election.”
  • State elections (Section 2): Requires that ballots for state elections conducted in the town be provided in English and Haitian Creole (in addition to any other legally required languages). The Secretary of the Commonwealth (state secretary) is directed to prepare those ballots.
  • Town elections (Section 3): Requires that ballots for all town preliminary and final elections in the town be provided in English and Haitian Creole (and other legally required languages). The town’s board of registrars is responsible for preparing those town-election ballots.
  • Cost allocation (Section 4): The Secretary of the Commonwealth is responsible for all costs associated with implementing the act in state elections held in the town, explicitly including production of ballots. The act does not specify who pays for the town-election costs.
  • Effective date (Section 5): The act takes effect upon passage.

Who is affected

  • Voters in Randolph, especially Haitian Creole–speaking residents, who would have ballots available in their language.
  • State election administration: Secretary of the Commonwealth (responsible for preparing state-election bilingual ballots and bearing those costs).
  • Local election officials: Randolph’s board of registrars (responsible for preparing bilingual town-election ballots) and municipal election administrators (operational changes for printing, distribution, and staffing).
  • Municipal budget: potential local costs for town elections (not covered by the act) for translation, printing, and administration.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Access and participation: Likely to increase accessibility and reduce language barriers for Haitian Creole speakers in Randolph, improving compliance with language-access objectives.
  • Administrative changes: Requires translation, proofing, ballot layout, possible voter education, and staff training.
  • Fiscal impact: State bears production costs for state elections in Randolph; town may incur added costs for local elections unless offset elsewhere. The bill does not quantify costs.
  • Scope: This is a local law limited to the municipality legally styled “the city known as the town of Randolph,” not a statewide mandate.

Legislative status and origin

  • Presented by Senator William J. Driscoll, Jr.; filed as Senate No. 509 (S. Docket No. 2491).
  • Labeled as local legislation with town approval indicated in the filing.
  • Effective upon enactment if passed into law.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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