[DSM-Iowa] The Inaccessibility of the private Absentee Ballot for Blind Voters

[m.barber817 at gmail.com]

This is a letter I've sent to Polk County, the Secretary of State's office
(again), as well as Emily Wharton and others.

 

I encourage you all to write some sort of letter to the Secretary of State's
Office at support at sos.iowa.gov <mailto:support at sos.iowa.gov>  and encourage
them to speed up the RFP process so we can have a process in place by
November 3.  You should also include your legislators when you write.  I
would be very interested in hearing any results.

 

Whatever you do, whether we end up with the right to vote a private absentee
ballot or what, please, please vote, even if it means someone has to help
fill out your absentee ballot.

 

Thanks for all your efforts.

 

 

 

Dear Supervisor of Elections: 

 

My name is Michael Barber. I am a member of the Des Moines Chapter, National
Federation of the Blind of Iowa. We are a proud affiliate of the National
Federation of the Blind, the nation's oldest and largest organization of the
blind. I am an eligible voter in Polk County, and I am writing to you
regarding the lack of an accessible way for me and other voters with print
disabilities in this county to Vote absentee. I strongly urge you to rectify
this inequity by implementing an electronic ballot delivery system for the
November 3, 2020 general election.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised great concerns regarding the safety of
voting in person at a precinct polling place. Without an accessible way to
mark an absentee ballot, blind voters and other voters with print
disabilities are forced to choose between risking their health by voting at
a polling place, giving up their right to a secret ballot by telling their
choices to a friend or family member and trusting that person to mark the
inaccessible paper ballot as instructed, or not voting at all. Forcing a
blind voter to make this choice does not meet the requirement of the Help
America Vote Act, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), or
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act as amended in 1973  that voters with
disabilities be provided an accessible opportunity to vote privately and
independently as do nondisabled voters.

 

Since 2006, because of the Help America Vote Act, I've been able to proudly
cast my completely secret ballot.  Now I find that I am disenfranchised
because neither Polk County nor the State of Iowa allows for an accessible
private method for a blind person to vote a totally private absentee ballot.
I have attempted to contact Secretary of State Paul Pate, but he has not
responded to any of my communications directly.

 

For your information: Florida has recently certified Democracy Live as a
platform for electronic ballot delivery. Electronic ballot delivery systems
enable blind voters to mark an absentee ballot privately and independently
using a computer equipped with assistive technology, such as a screen
reader, screen magnification, or a refreshable Braille display. Once a voter
has marked their ballot, it can either be printed by the voter and sent by
regular mail, or dropped off at the Supervisor of Elections' office. Because
many voters do not have ready access to a printer, electronic ballot
delivery systems can also offer the option to download the ballot and email
it as an attachment to the Supervisor's office. At least 16 other states
around the country are permitting their blind voters to cast secret absentee
ballots if they wish

 

The right to cast a private and independent vote is a cornerstone of our
democracy. Therefore, I strongly urge your office to procure an electronic
ballot delivery system in time for the 2020 general election so that I, as a
blind voter, may cast my absentee ballot privately and independently, as
required by the ADA. Voters with print disabilities should not have to
choose between risking our health to vote at a polling place, giving up our
right to a secret ballot by having someone mark a paper absentee ballot for
us, or not voting at all. The implementation of an electronic ballot
delivery system that is accessible to blind and print disabled voters allows
us to continue to exercise our right to vote while remaining safe and
healthy.  

 

I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to discussing
this issue with you. Please feel free to contact me to discuss this vitally
important matter.   You may reach me either at
<mailto:m.barber817 at gmail.com> m.barber817 at gmail.com or (515) 284-1569.

 

Sincerely,

 



 

Michael Barber

Coordinator Of Accessible Voting

 

Best,

Michael Barber

Accessibility Voting Coordinator

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