We are thrilled to share some exhilarating news about our latest project that’s making history in the beautiful state of Oregon! Barbier has been awarded a monumental task by Oregon’s Secretary of State: translating voter pamphlets into an incredible 14 languages! These include Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Marshallese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. While many states provide multilingual voter pamphlets, what makes this endeavor truly historic is that it’s the first time new legislation in Oregon mandates this extensive language access for its residents.
This project is a significant milestone not just for Barbier but also for the state of Oregon. We are immensely proud to be collaborating with another Oregon government department, especially on such a groundbreaking contract. This initiative ensures that diverse language speakers in Oregon can fully engage with and understand the democratic process, fostering greater community involvement and strengthening the bonds of civic participation.
Language access is vital for every resident. It empowers individuals by helping them understand the laws, cultural norms, and values of their communities. By offering comprehensive language support, the government facilitates the assimilation process for newcomers from various linguistic backgrounds. With this project, Oregon’s Secretary of State is enabling more citizens to participate in local government and the democratic process, benefiting communities across the state.
Barbier wholeheartedly commends Oregon for not only passing this inclusive policy but also for expanding the translation services to cover a total of 14 languages! And the commitment doesn’t stop there—additional legislation is in the works to incorporate four more languages by 2025. We are honored to be part of this transformative journey, witnessing firsthand the positive changes we are helping to implement in our home state.
Our talented team of multilingual translators and project managers is dedicated to ensuring that every aspect of this project meets the highest standards. We tackle quick turnaround times and complex glossaries with precision, ensuring that all translations are accessible and comprehensible. In many cases, we create new terms to accurately convey ballot information in the preferred languages of the voters.
Transcreation, an extension of translation, is at the heart of what we do at Barbier. This process involves conveying the meaning of words and phrases into another language, even if direct equivalents don’t exist. Oregon’s government has placed its trust in us to work with their Translation Advisory Council (TAC) to ensure that every translation and transcreation is approved and localized specifically for Oregon.
We look forward to continuing our work with Oregon to localize all legislation for its voters and citizens, ensuring everyone can participate in the democratic process. Voting is essential, and this project is making a profound impact. Barbier is grateful for the opportunity to partner with Oregon’s Secretary of State to make history, and we can’t wait to see where this exciting journey takes us next!
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