<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto">Thank you Maryanne, I have added the email address to my contacts to make it easy to send an email out daily. We are stronger together!<br><br><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr"><div>Sincerely,</div> Deb Reed<div>Central CT Chapter President </div><div><span style="font-size: 13pt;">National Federation Of The Blind</span><br><div><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Phone - 860-973-3679 </span></div><div><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Cell-860-378-5370</span></div><div>Email - <a href="mailto:deb.reed57@gmail.com">deb.reed57@gmail.com</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div><div dir="ltr"><br>On Jul 27, 2020, at 3:38 PM, <<a href="mailto:mvcmelley@gmail.com">mvcmelley@gmail.com</a>> <<a href="mailto:mvcmelley@gmail.com">mvcmelley@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">If your calls aren’t getting through then lets try emailing! Nathanael Wales has been able to send a successful email and received a response. Please send your letters to <a href="mailto:COVID19.JIC@ct.gov">COVID19.JIC@ct.gov</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Below is Nathanael’s letter to give all of you an idea what to say. Please try and use your own words.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoPlainText">Dear Governor Lamont:<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText"> I am blind and a registered voter and member of a political party holding a primary on August 11. However, I have not been given the option to vote absentee. At this time the Secretary of State only wants to mail paper ballots that I would need someone else to fill out for me.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText"> That's not private and independent voting. Electronic ballot delivery and marking applications are available from more than one vendor, but the Secretary of State refuses to use one. These systems are used in many other states, including Maryland and now New York. I would be able to fill out the ballot on my home computer and either return it through a secure electronic system like those used by overseas military members in many other states or by printing it on a home computer and mailing it.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText"> Otherwise, I must either risk my health and that of my loved ones to vote privately and independently. And my rights under the Americans With Disabilities Act are risked, too.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText"> I ask you to correct this problem immediately, or direct the Secretary of State to do so—and in time for me to vote like every other non-disabled member of my party. If you have any questions or would like to discuss solutions further, I earnestly await your reply or your telephone call.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText"> Respectfully,<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText"> Nathanael T. Wales, Treasurer<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText"> National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Best Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Maryanne Melley<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">President<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">860-212-5549<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">“Live the Life You Want”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></blockquote></body></html>