[Colorado-Talk] Colorado Secretary of State Issues Notice of Proposed Rulemaking - Elections Rules

[kevan nfbco.org]

I'm on it today. Good catch Curtis.

From: Colorado-Talk <colorado-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Curtis Chong via Colorado-Talk
Sent: Monday, March 18, 2024 11:39 AM
To: colorado-talk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Curtis Chong <chong.curtis at gmail.com>
Subject: [Colorado-Talk] Colorado Secretary of State Issues Notice of Proposed Rulemaking - Elections Rules

Greetings everyone:

The Colorado Secretary of State has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking pertaining to elections in Colorado. Ordinarily, this particular topic would not garner a lot of attention from the blind community.

However, I wish to bring to your attention a provision in the proposed rules which, if adopted, would eliminate the holes that are found on many ballot return envelopes. For example, in Arapahoe County, where I vote, these holes are useful as a nonvisual way to know where voters should place their signatures. I was pleased to learn that work is under way in Arapahoe County to come up with an alternative tactual method that would enable blind voters to know where to affix their signatures.

While many of us are voting using Colorado's accessible online voting system or in person at the polls, I am confident that there are blind people in Colorado who still return their ballots by mail. It would be terrific if Colorado could require all of the counties to put some kind of a tactual indication on the ballot return envelopes that would help nonvisual voters to know where they should sign.

If you are so inclined, please send an email to SoS.Rulemaking at coloradosos.gov<mailto:SoS.Rulemaking at coloradosos.gov> using the subject line "Comments on Proposed Rulemaking - Elections Rules". Here, shown below, is what I just sent in today.

Thank you for your efforts in this matter.

Kindly,

Curtis Chong

________________________________________

From: Curtis Chong <chong.curtis at gmail.com<mailto:chong.curtis at gmail.com>>
Sent: Monday, March 18, 2024 11:17 AM
To: SoS.Rulemaking at coloradosos.gov<mailto:SoS.Rulemaking at coloradosos.gov>
Subject: Comments on Proposed Rulemaking - Elections Rules

Greetings:

I wish to comment on Proposed Election Rule 7.2.71 (C) which provides that "BEGINNING JULY 1, 2024, NO COUNTY CLERK MAY USE A BALLOT RETURN ENVELOPE WITH A HOLE OR ANY OTHER OPENING."

I am a blind person who lives and votes in Arapahoe County. I have always appreciated that in Arapahoe county, the holes on the back of the ballot return envelope could be used by a blind voter as a tactual indication of where to place his/her signature. Eliminating the holes on the back of the ballot return envelopes used in Arapahoe county would make it impossible for blind voters who want to return their ballots in the mail to independently locate where they should write their signatures unless an alternative tactual indication is provided . I do not know if other counties across Colorado have a similar system, but I do know that there are blind voters in Colorado who still prefer to return their printed ballots in the mail. Eliminate the holes if you must, but please consider adding a provision which would require counties to provide a tactual indication on the ballot return envelopes where the registered voter must sign his/her name. This would be a tremendous benefit to those voters who cannot see where to place their signatures.

Thank you.

Very truly yours,

Curtis Chong

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