Chinese-English ballots boost turnout in Quincy and Boston

Voters line up at a Quincy polling station.

By the Editorial Team

Voters who registered for bilingual ballots in Boston and Quincy took them to the polls on Tuesday.

“We should speak up and let the government know what we think,” said John Zhang, a Quincy resident who has lived in the U.S. more than 10 years. “We are the minority, but we have rights.”

The 2012 election was the first time Quincy offered ballots in English and Chinese. Boston has printed transliterated bilingual ballots in Chinese and Vietnamese since 2006.

“It’s easy to pick a name, but the bilingual ballot helps me understand local legislation better,” said a Quincy resident surnamed Chiu, who declined to give his first name.

Most voters found the polling process relatively convenient. “It’s my second time to vote and it’s my right to vote,” said a Quincy resident surnamed Lee, who declined to give her first name.

However, some people were turned away at the polls for not registering. “It’s the first time I tried to vote, since I’m a U.S. citizen,” said a Quincy resident surnamed Chin, who declined to give her first name. “I don’t understand why I can’t vote, since I registered.”

This post is also available in: Chinese