[Colorado-Talk] Accessible Electronic Ballot Now Available

[Dan Burke]

Great news, isn't it? Yes, you can vote from home, or anywhere you
have access to a printer.

Like Curtis, I tested this with my iPhone and on my computer with
different browsers and screen readers. The Secretary of State's office
really ran with this, though admittedly Curtis Chong has been
bird-dogging this process for the NFB of Colorado from the first.

Mail ballots are about to land in mailboxes across the state, so you
can use that envelope to mail your ballot back - the one you voted on
independently and rpvately with the voting machine you know best -
your smart phone or laptop or tablet!

So get out your vote right now - it's live!




On 10/11/19, Curtis Chong via Colorado-Talk <colorado-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Greetings and felicitations:
>
>
>
> I am happy to report that for the very first time in the history of
> Colorado, voters with disabilities, including those of us who are blind,
> can
> now vote an electronic ballot independently and privately from our own
> homes
> or other location. All that is needed is a computer or smart phone, a
> printer, and access to the Internet. We can obtain our electronic ballots
> right now for the November 5 coordinated election.
>
>
>
> The National Federation of the Blind of Colorado has been working closely
> with the Colorado Secretary of State's office to ensure that the electronic
> ballot is truly accessible and usable. While there are some refinements
> that
> we are hoping to see in time for the 2020 primary election on March 3, I
> can
> safely say that the online system that is now in place is both accessible
> and usable.
>
>
>
> Here is some information from the Secretary of State's office.
>
>
>
> 1.	The voter will first need to decide if they are eligible for this
> service. A voter who has a disability under the Americans with Disabilities
> Act is eligible to vote an electronic ballot under Colorado law.
> 2.	If the voter is eligible and wants to vote an electronic ballot,
> they should visit https://myballot.sos.colorado.gov. Once on the website,
> it
> will guide them through the process of voting their ballot online.
> 3.	Once they have completed voting online, the website will prompt them
> to print both their ballot and an electronic ballot application form. The
> application form should be filled in with their information, so all the
> voter will need to do is sign the application.
> 4.	The voter should place both the ballot and the printed application
> in an envelope, write "Ballot enclosed" on the envelope, and return the
> envelope to their county clerk either at a drop box, a voter service and
> polling center, or through the mail. It is really important that the voter
> includes the signed application with their ballot, because that is how
> their
> county clerk will identify them and count their ballot.
> 5.	Voters can visit www.govotecolorado.com
> <http://www.govotecolorado.com>  to update their voter registration
> information (which they will need to be updated to access the online
> system). They can also visit that website to find their nearest voter
> service and polling center and drop box.
>
>
>
> I have personally tested the electronic ballot system with a Windows
> computer running JAWS and NVDA and an iPhone running VoiceOver. In both
> cases, I was able to mark the ballot and print both the ballot and the
> ballot application.
>
>
>
> As with all new software implementations, there are bound to be some issues
> that come up as the system gains exposure. But I am optimistic that the
> problems will not be too difficult to resolve.
>
>
>
> Cordially,
>
>
>
> Curtis Chong
>
>
>
>


-- 
Dan Burke

National Federation of the Blind of Colorado Legislative Coordinator

President, NFB of Denver

"Blindness is not what holds you back.  You can live the life you want!"

My Cell:  406.546.8546
Twitter:  @DallDonal