The 2000 presidential election brought to the fore many problems that have existed in the administration of elections. This article examines the importance of public involvement in the management of elections, especially as it pertains to serving the needs of voters for whom English is not their first language. The Los Angeles County Community Voter Outreach Committee is a model of community participation that demonstrates the benefits to both administrators and to voters of public participation in election management. Analysis of this model also illustrates the broader implications of this method of management for serving other special populations of citizens, an issue that will become more critical to managers as the nation’s population becomes more diverse and has a larger number of citizens with special needs.
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