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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>This is a letter I’ve sent to Polk County, the Secretary of State’s office (again), as well as Emily Wharton and others.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I encourage you all to write some sort of letter to the Secretary of State’s Office at <a href="mailto:support@sos.iowa.gov">support@sos.iowa.gov</a> 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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks for all your efforts.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Dear Supervisor of Elections: <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>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<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>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 </span><a href="mailto:m.barber817@gmail.com"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>m.barber817@gmail.com</span></a><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> or (515) 284-1569.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><img border=0 width=169 height=37 style='width:1.7604in;height:.3854in' id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.gif@01D67223.51B88F80"></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Michael Barber<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Coordinator Of Accessible Voting<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Best,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Michael Barber<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Accessibility Voting Coordinator<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>