COUNCIL MULLS VOTING CHANGES.Byline: Nicholas Grudin Staff Writer GLENDALE - Responding to allegations of electioneering by Armenian translators during the April 1 elections, city officials discussed proposals Tuesday to make voting easier for non-English speakers. The proposals include translating election materials into Armenian, placing more city translators at polling locations and increasing training for polling place workers, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. City Clerk In the United States, a City Clerk is an elected or appointed official who is responsible as the official keeper of the municipal records. In some places, the Clerk may be known as the "Village Clerk" or "Town Clerk". Doris Tweldt. Tweldt proposed the changes after Carole Sussman, who placed third in the race for two City Council seats, complained that members of the Armenian National Committee vocally supported incumbent Mayor Rafi Manoukian Rafi Manoukian is a former member of the city council in Glendale, California. He was recently notified that he has been selected by the Board of Directors and the Selection Committee of the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO) as a recipient of the 2006 Ellis Island at the polls and socialized so·cial·ize v. so·cial·ized, so·cial·iz·ing, so·cial·iz·es v.tr. 1. To place under government or group ownership or control. 2. To make fit for companionship with others; make sociable. with his poll-watchers. ``This is a response to the various concerns raised by Carole Sussman,'' Tweldt said. ``These changes would alleviate concerns of the people who expressed dissatisfaction with the ANC ANC abbr. African National Congress ANC African National Congress: South African political movement instrumental in bringing an end to apartheid ANC n abbr (= being (at the polls) as translators.'' No formal charges have been filed against the nonprofit ANC Western Region, which provides translators for elections and does not endorse candidates. Officials for the group have denied any wrongdoing wrong·do·er n. One who does wrong, especially morally or ethically. wrong  do . `We were doing what we know and feel and believe was in the best interest of those individuals who wanted to vote and were going to have difficulties,'' said Ardashes Kassakhian, the group's director. The city of Glendale employs Armenian and Spanish translators at polling locations but offers election materials only in English and Spanish, Tweldt said. She said adding city translators to the polling locations and offering voting materials in English and Armenian should diminish the need for outside translators at future polling locations. ``The change is to streamline the voting process for all voters,'' Tweldt said. ``I'd like to set some clear guidelines for anyone other than official precinct A constable's or police district. A small geographical unit of government. An election district created for convenient localization of polling places. A county or municipal subdivision for casting and counting votes in elections. PRECINCT. board members who are acting translators.'' According to Tweldt, further changes could be proposed during the next year, and they will be implemented for the next election. Making the proposed changes would cost the city less than $5,000, Tweldt said. |
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