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ACLU observing primary elections in San Juan County

Posted at 4:06 PM, Jun 28, 2016
and last updated 2016-06-28 19:03:04-04

SALT LAKE CITY — The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah is observing primary elections taking place in the Four Corners area, in light of a federal lawsuit filed over voting rights.

The ACLU of Utah has attorneys in San Juan County to observe Tuesday’s election, which could be impacted by a lawsuit the civil liberties group filed against the government there.

The Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission sued after San Juan County elected to go vote-by-mail. The ACLU, which is a part of the lawsuit, said the decision impacts some voters because Navajo is an unwritten language. San Juan County has only a few polling locations where Navajo translation is available, which could mean some people have hours-long drives to vote.

A federal judge has scheduled a Wednesday hearing on San Juan County’s motions to dismiss aspects of the lawsuit.