KUNR recently hosted a Facebook Live event in Spanish, in partnership with The Nevada Independent, to clarify the voting process for the upcoming election.

To learn more, KUNR’s Lucia Starbuck spoke with bilingual reporter Natalie Van Hoozer, who moderated the event. 

Lucia Starbuck: Fill us in Natalie, for listeners who don’t speak Spanish or couldn’t attend the Facebook Live event, what was it about? 

Van Hoozer: I moderated a conversation with KUNR’s Stephanie Serrano, my bilingual reporting colleague and Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez, a bilingual reporter with The Nevada Independent. 

We talked about topics we’ve been reporting on, including the processes and deadlines for registering to vote and casting a ballot, whether that be by mail or in person. 

We also touched on the types of questions voters will find on the ballot, voting resources and voter intimidation. 

Starbuck: Talking about voter intimidation, what does that mean? And how can voters identify and report it?

Van Hoozer: Stephanie with KUNR spoke to this. She explained that, generally speaking, voter intimidation is when you go to vote and someone there is pressuring you to vote a certain way, asking personal questions, or maybe even using tactics like asking if you’re eligible to vote. 

Steph is saying that there will be designated election workers in beige vests at polling sites, and those are the people you should speak to if you’re noticing or experiencing voter intimidation. If the situation gets tense, poll workers can call the registrar of voters or law enforcement. 

Starbuck: What about Spanish speakers who want to vote, either by mail or in person, what does that process look like?

Van Hoozer: Steph said the polling machines will allow people to vote in English or Spanish, but the polling locations won’t necessarily have personnel on site who can speak Spanish. The Washoe County Registrar of Voters’ office encourages people to bring someone with them who can serve as an interpreter. 

If you’re voting by mail, someone who’s bilingual in your household could help you complete the ballot, or you can show up at the Washoe County Registrar of Voters’ office and there are some Spanish-speaking staff who can answer questions. 

Starbuck: This general election includes more than voting for president, what other questions and races can Nevadans expect on the ballot?

Van Hoozer: Jazmin with The Nevada Independent mentioned that there are six ballot questions this year as well as local, state and federal races that people can vote on. 

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Here Jazmin reminds everyone that you can vote on issues and candidates including various members of the school board and city council, along with judges and members of the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents

She also touched on deadlines for registration, how to fill out a mail ballot and how to find the locations for mail ballot drop-off boxes. You can find those locations on the Nevada Secretary of State’s website. 

Starbuck: You mentioned voting resources, especially for Spanish speakers, what information is available? 

Van Hoozer: We want to get the word out that KUNR and The Nevada Independent have bilingual election coverage. 

On the Spanish page of the KUNR site, we have a comprehensive story detailing voter registration and voting procedures. Steph also illustrated a guide with key steps for voting by mail. 

The Nevada Independent recently published articles and videos in both English and Spanish explaining the six ballot questions. The Nevada Independent’s Spanish-language podcast, Cafecito con Luz y Michelle, covers topics related to the election as well.

The Washoe County Registrar of Voters’ website also has videos in English and Spanish that detail how to fill out and submit a mail ballot. 

The whole Q&A panel in Spanish and additional resources are available in the video on KUNR Public Radio’s Facebook page. 

KUNR’s Spanish-language Facebook Live event about the voting process for Nevada’s 2020 general election was supported by the Facebook Journalism Project, America Amplified, and Noticiero Móvil.