RON THORNBURGH
Secretary of State

STATE OF KANSAS
Memorial Hall, 1st Floor
120 SW 10th Avenue
Topeka, KS 66612-1594
(785) 296-4564
www.kssos.org

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
Thursday, January 16, 2003

Contact Information
Jesse Borjon, Communications Director
Office of the Secretary of State
(785) 296-4580
jesseb@kssos.org

THORNBURGH PRESENTS KANSAS ADVISORY
COMMITTEE ON HISPANIC AFFAIRS WITH THE NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF SECRETARIES OF STATE MEDALLION AWARD

Topeka, KS - Kansas Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh today presented the Kansas Advisory Committee on Hispanic Affairs (KACHA) with the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) Medallion Award in recognition of support and involvement with the bilingual voting project.


Based on the 2000 census, 30 states were required to provide ballots and other voting materials in languages other than English. Six Kansas counties including Finney, Ford, Grant, Haskell, Kearny and Seward were required to offer bilingual ballots and voting materials in Spanish for the 2002 election.


The Secretary of State’s office and KACHA partnered to implement the new federal requirements for the six counties. KACHA provided translation services to the counties and recruited poll workers for implementing the new federal requirements.


“Bilingual voting was a huge success due in large part to KACHA’s leadership with this project,” stated Thornburgh. “I am pleased to present KACHA with the NASS Medallion Award for their support and involvement in furthering democracy for Kansas citizens.”


The NASS Medallion Award was created to recognize outstanding service and dedication to furthering the mission of the National Association of Secretaries of State within the states. The program honors individuals, groups, or organizations with an established record of promoting the goals of NASS in the areas of elections, with special emphasis on voter education and participation; civic education, including teaching, promotion, and study of this subject; and service to state government—specifically, as it relates to the duties of the office of secretary of state.

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