Post by Ms. Kathy on Nov 7, 2006 7:24:56 GMT -6
Election Day
11/3/2006 10:40:00 AM
Tuesday, November 7, a mere four days away, is Election Day. As we have pointed out in the past, this election is the first since the nonvisual access provisions of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) took effect. The National Federation of the Blind was instrumental in passing this provision of the HAVA, which requires that every polling place have at least one voting machine that can be used independently by the blind. Most jurisdictions now have such
equipment in place. News organizations have been taking notice of the benefits the new equipment brings to the blind. Today, we found this article in the Rocky Mountain News, featuring Federationists Scott LaBarre and Ray and Dianne McGeorge.
Not all jurisdictions have implemented new voting equipment that is usable by the blind, and many are using such equipment for the first time. Although we hope that voting will go smoothly for most blind Americans on Tuesday, some problems can be expected owing to the new technology. The National
Federation of the Blind wants to know if any blind voter encounters a voting place that is noncompliant. If you experience problems voting on Election Day, please call The National Federation of the Blind HAVA National Compliance Hotline at 1-877-632-1940. (A handy way to remember the toll-free number is that the digits 632 also spell out NFB on the telephone keypad, and the NFB was founded in 1940). The National Federation of the Blind will use the data collected to analyze how well implementation of HAVA is going, and we will follow up on problems experienced by blind voters if it is necessary to notify election officials or file a formal complaint with the United States Department of Justice. The main purpose of the hotline is to report voting problems, but if you want to tell us about a positive voting experience, you can email VNB, or drop a line to Jim McCarthy, the NFB's Director of Governmental Affairs, at
jmccarthy@nfb.org.
If you don't have Internet access, go ahead and give the hotline a call. The line will be open from 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. on Election Day and during normal Federation business hours, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., on Wednesday, November 8. After the hotline closes, the best way to report problems is to email Jim McCarthy or call him at 410-659-9314, extension 2207. The VNB urges all readers who are eligible to vote to do so on November 7. It's important for every American
to vote, and it's important for blind Americans to let election officials know that we appreciate the ability to vote independently and in secret.
Sincerely yours,
The Constantly Barefooted,
Ray
11/3/2006 10:40:00 AM
Tuesday, November 7, a mere four days away, is Election Day. As we have pointed out in the past, this election is the first since the nonvisual access provisions of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) took effect. The National Federation of the Blind was instrumental in passing this provision of the HAVA, which requires that every polling place have at least one voting machine that can be used independently by the blind. Most jurisdictions now have such
equipment in place. News organizations have been taking notice of the benefits the new equipment brings to the blind. Today, we found this article in the Rocky Mountain News, featuring Federationists Scott LaBarre and Ray and Dianne McGeorge.
Not all jurisdictions have implemented new voting equipment that is usable by the blind, and many are using such equipment for the first time. Although we hope that voting will go smoothly for most blind Americans on Tuesday, some problems can be expected owing to the new technology. The National
Federation of the Blind wants to know if any blind voter encounters a voting place that is noncompliant. If you experience problems voting on Election Day, please call The National Federation of the Blind HAVA National Compliance Hotline at 1-877-632-1940. (A handy way to remember the toll-free number is that the digits 632 also spell out NFB on the telephone keypad, and the NFB was founded in 1940). The National Federation of the Blind will use the data collected to analyze how well implementation of HAVA is going, and we will follow up on problems experienced by blind voters if it is necessary to notify election officials or file a formal complaint with the United States Department of Justice. The main purpose of the hotline is to report voting problems, but if you want to tell us about a positive voting experience, you can email VNB, or drop a line to Jim McCarthy, the NFB's Director of Governmental Affairs, at
jmccarthy@nfb.org.
If you don't have Internet access, go ahead and give the hotline a call. The line will be open from 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. on Election Day and during normal Federation business hours, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., on Wednesday, November 8. After the hotline closes, the best way to report problems is to email Jim McCarthy or call him at 410-659-9314, extension 2207. The VNB urges all readers who are eligible to vote to do so on November 7. It's important for every American
to vote, and it's important for blind Americans to let election officials know that we appreciate the ability to vote independently and in secret.
Sincerely yours,
The Constantly Barefooted,
Ray