English as the official language and ballot access laws

[Liberté]

One of the arguments I've heard from those who want to make English the official language of the United States government is that it would prevent ballots from being published in different languages. I myself see in this a not-very-subtle manuever to attempt to restrict ballot access, but that's rather besides the point. My main issue with it is: even if the Federal government mandated that all Federal affairs be conducted in English, how in the world is this meant to apply to ballots which are printed by the States themselves? It seems to me that those who hold to this line of reasoning don't understand that, just as the several States have legal control over ballot access laws, they also bear the responsibility for the procurement of those ballots - which is why you have places like Florida where the physical ballot itself came into dispute eleven years ago.

My understanding of the situation is quite simple: while a State itself can pass a law mandating that all ballots and other official documents be printed in English (and anyone would be perfectly justified in opposing it on the State level), the Federal government absolutely could not mandate that for the States.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     I'm not sure that what they propose would work anyway, even if it is besides the point. English is the official language of California, yet ballots here are printed in English, Spanish, & Chinese. Making English an official language would mean that they would have to print the ballots in English, but it should not prevent them from printing it in other languages as well.

[SmokingCricket]

I support English as a de facto national language; at which status it currently is.

I do not support a national de jure language of any kind.

[phk]

I think immigrants should be encouraged to learn English for their own sake.

There is no need to make English an official language but American English is a de facto one.