Polling places to usher in a new era

Boston election officials will post signs in seven languages and staff each of the city's polling places with translators as observers from five separate groups, including the US Department of Justice and the secretary of state's office, monitor today's preliminary City Council election.

It is the city's first election since settling a federal lawsuit earlier this month that alleged violations of the Voting Rights Act, and city officials said they are scrambling to comply with its requirements.

The settlement, which requires Boston to submit to federal scrutiny during elections and provide more bilingual help to voters with limited English, demands only that the city ''make best efforts" for the preliminary. The requirements become mandatory in November.

But the Justice Department appeared yesterday to be taking a hard line, saying that federal observers will be watching closely.

''We're hoping to see a vast improvement in the conduct of election officials at the polls," said Eric Holland, a Justice Department spokesman, adding that monitors will ensure that city election workers do not seek to influence the way minority language voters cast their ballots.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State William F. Galvin said monitors from his office will also observe the elections. The decision, he said, was made before the Justice Department moved in. Observers from the Chinese Progressive Association, Vida Urbana, and the Mayor's Advisory Task Force also will be watching.

The Justice Department filed suit against Boston in July, accusing the city of improperly influencing and coercing Hispanic and Asian-American voters who have limited English skills. It also charged that Boston election workers had disrespected those voters at the polls and failed to provide adequate translation services. After angrily denying the charges and vowing to fight the action in court, city officials announced the settlement 11 days ago.

Starting next year, the city will be required to print ballots in Chinese and Vietnamese in precincts with high concentrations of Chinese and Vietnamese voters, according to terms of the settlement.

Boston election officials said that ballots could not be printed in time for today's election, but that the city was doing everything it could to reach out to voters who do not speak English.

''We've made every effort to accommodate people who may have limited English skills at the polls and will continue to work toward improvements, especially in November," said Geraldine Cuddyer, head of the city's Election Department.

In today's election, voters will pare the field of 15 candidates for city councilor at large to eight. The eight finalists will compete for four citywide seats in the general election on Nov. 8. One of those seats is being vacated by Maura Hennigan, who is running for mayor.

One district councilor is facing a runoff challenge. In Allston-Brighton, where Councilor Jerry McDermott faces two rivals -- Paul Creighton and Daniel Kontoff -- voters will pick two candidates to face off in November.

According to Lydia Lowe of the Chinese Progressive Association, the city's goal this year was to hire about 40 bilingual Chinese poll workers, up from about nine last year. The Justice Department's goal, she said, is 69. Though she didn't know how many Chinese workers there will be, the number will be significantly higher than last year, she said.

''The city is gradually working up to the goals set in the agreement," she said. ''We know there will be many bilingual staff in this election than in the past."

Cuddyer said city workers will be out to make sure everyone has the chance to vote and that the city has dramatically increased the number of poll workers who speak Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Haitian, Creole, Cape Verdean, or Russian.

She said she would not know the number of bilingual or multilingual poll workers until today.

In addition, Cuddyer said, signs translated in seven languages will be posted at each polling place, offering translation services to voters having difficulty with English.

''Dear Voter," the signs read. ''Your vote is important. If you need assistance in a language other than English or have a question, please show this card to the election officer and indicate the language that you speak."

If a translator is not present at a poll where a voter is facing a language barrier, election workers will call City Hall, where translators will be on hand from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., when the polls close, to help the voter in his or her native language, Cuddyer said.

All other general voter information signs will be translated into seven languages and posted at every poll, Cuddyer said.

Kevin Peterson, cochairman of a mayoral task force assisting with compliance with the settlement, said his group would send about six observers to 40 precincts in Boston.

''We'll be all over the city, from Allston to East Boston, Roxbury, Dorchester, and Chinatown, checking in and making observations," he said.

''We will be looking at customer service issues and insuring there is language support," said Peterson, whose panel is required under the settlement to evaluate the city's compliance with the settlement and offer suggestions for change.