Elections: voters; language assistance for elections act; create. Creates new act. TIE BAR WITH: HB 5969'26, HB 5970'26

HB 5971 establishes the Language Assistance for Elections Act, which requires Michigan local governments to provide election materials in languages other than English if their voting-eligible population meets specific thresholds based on the number and percentage of residents with limited English proficiency. The bill mandates that these materials, including ballots and signage, be translated by certified translators rather than relying solely on automatic translation services, and it outlines requirements for updating voting technology to display translated ballots. Additionally, the legislation creates a Language Access Advisory Council to guide these efforts and instructs the Secretary of State to publish annual lists of local governments and languages requiring assistance.