Voters in Hamtramck have been subject to harassment at the polls, according to a local civil rights group. Michigan’s chapter of the Council on American–Islamic Relations, or CAIR (care) is making the complaint.
CAIR says the incidents involve voters with limited English proficiency and arguments with Hamtramck poll workers about who can offer translation services. CAIR staff attorney Amy Doukoure says Hamtramck’s top election official threatened to remove a poll challenger who was helping a voter.
“What the city clerk was trying to do was illegal in trying to prohibit people who need assistance for voting,” said Doukoure.
Hamtramck City Clerk August Gitschlag says poll challengers cannot offer that kind of assistance under Michigan election law.
“Challengers are never allowed to talk to voters, even if they ask for help,” Gitschlag said.
Under federal law, voters who have difficulty reading or writing English can request language assistance from a person of their choice.