<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><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]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Good Evening Federation Family:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I’m sending out the below email regarding our accessible absentee voting efforts. Thanks to those who have already gotten involved. I wanted to make sure everyone on my list sees this one and the next message I’m sending on this time sensitive issue! As new developments unfold, we’ll be sure to share them!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Scott Van Gorp, President<br>National Federation of the Blind of Iowa<br>Phone: 515-720-5282<br></span><a href="mailto:svangorp@nfbi.org">Email</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.nfbi.org/"><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Website</span></i></a><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <br></span></i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/National-Federation-Of-the-Blind-Of-Iowa-372681823082570/posts"><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Facebook</span></i></a><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <br></span></i><a href="https://twitter.com/nfb_iowa"><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Twitter</span></i></a><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <br>Live the life you want.<br></span></i><br>The National Federation of the Blind of Iowa is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> Tall-Corn <tall-corn-bounces@nfbnet.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Michael Barber via Tall-Corn<br><b>Sent:</b> Sunday, October 4, 2020 1:27 PM<br><b>To:</b> 'NFB of Iowa Internet Mailing List' <tall-corn@nfbnet.org>; 'Des Moines Chapter List, NFB of Iowa' <dsm-iowa@nfbnet.org><br><b>Cc:</b> m.barber817@gmail.com; officeofthepresident@nfb.org; cdanielsen@nfb.org; 'Blake, Lou Ann' <LBlake@nfb.org><br><b>Subject:</b> [Tall-Corn] Time for Immediate Action RIGHT NOW<br><b>Sensitivity:</b> Personal<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Ladies and gentlemen: Scott has asked me to lead the charge on this very important project so we can have a way to fill out our own absentee ballots if we so choose without sighted assistance, the same as we can using electronic voting machines. With the advent of the Codin19 Virus, some of us are electing not to vote in person. But, I still want you to vote.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The Iowa Secretary of State and the Legislative Council have the say over whether we will be able to have accessible absentee ballots or not. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>NFBI, ICUB, and Disability Rights Iowa have put in some very intense work on this issue. Letters to the Editor have been posted, 2 billboards have been posted, and Scott and Carrie have both been interviewed by WHO Channel 13 yesterday about this issue.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Now it’s our turn to step up and make ourselves known. Below, I am pasting the letter I wrote to Pate and the Legislative Council. Below that will be all their contact information for your use. Please, please use it right away. Do not put it off till next week or next month. That just won’t do.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Michael D. Barber, NFBI Board Member<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Disenfranchised Once Again<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dear Secretary of State Pate and Legislative Council Members:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Many of us will remember the election of 2000 with its hanging, pregnant, and dimpled chads, as well as other discrepancies which showed the need for updated election laws. And thus, was born the Help America Vote Act, a law which for the first time provided people who are blind or who had low vision the right to vote a secret ballot. Specifications were laid out regarding the design of a properly accessible voting machine which provided a way for me, a blind person, to cast my own private ballot.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Before 2006, I either had to have a poll worker from each party with me or a person of my own choosing to mark my ballot. I always hated voting this way because I never felt I could vote privately without wondering what the person marking my ballot thought about my vote.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In 2020, with the onset of Covid19, I was hesitant about going to a public polling place and contracting the virus. My only choice was to cast an absentee ballot which meant I had to have someone else mark my ballot. This made me feel disenfranchised, again. Even though the Help America Vote Act, Title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act are very specific about not discriminating against people with disabilities, we here in Iowa find ourselves having to fight a needless battle once again. I have been told by Molly Widen of the Secretary of State’s Office that the 24-member Legislative Council has to vote on a “pilot” ballot marking tool for those of us who need to use an absentee ballot which we can mark independently. At this time, this still hasn’t happened.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I am told by Democracy Live and Voting Works that it takes truly little time to make this happen so it could be available on Election Day. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please, Secretary Pate, and Iowa Legislative Council, give me back my independent right to vote a secret absentee ballot, if that is what I choose to do.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Michael D. Barber<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>2880 Grand Avenue<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Unit 503<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Des Moines, IA 50312<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(515) 284-1569<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:m.barber817@gmail.com">m.barber817@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div style='border:none;border-bottom:dotted windowtext 3.0pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>Contact Information for<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>Secretary of State and Legislative Council<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Secretary of State Paul Pate<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:sos@sos.iowa.gov">sos@sos.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>515-281-0145<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:jack.whitver@legis.iowa.gov">jack.whitver@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>515.281.3371<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:joe.bolkcom@legis.iowa.gov">joe.bolkcom@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:joe@joebolkcom.org">joe@joebolkcom.org</a> (home)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>319.337.6280<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:jerry.behn@legis.iowa.gov">jerry.behn@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>515.432.7327<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:jake.chapman@legis.iowa.gov">jake.chapman@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:jake@votejakechapman.com">jake@votejakechapman.com</a> (home)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>515.650.3942<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:randy.feenstra@legis.iowa.gov">randy.feenstra@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>712.439.1244<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:pam.jochum@legis.iowa.gov">pam.jochum@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>563.580.2980<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:jim.lykam@legis.iowa.gov">jim.lykam@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>563.391.1919<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:janet.petersen@legis.iowa.gov">janet.petersen@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>515.281.3901<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:amanda.ragan@legis.iowa.gov">amanda.ragan@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>641.424.2316<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:Charles.schneider@legis.iowa.gov">Charles.schneider@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>515.657.7375<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:amy.sinclair@legis.iowa.gov">amy.sinclair@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>641.870.0199<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:dan.zumbach@legis.iowa.gov">dan.zumbach@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>563.920.5094<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:pat.grassley@legis.iowa.gov">pat.grassley@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>319.214.0351<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:jane.bloomingdale@legis.iowa.gov">jane.bloomingdale@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>515.281.3221<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:dave.deyoe@legis.iowa.gov">dave.deyoe@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>515.382.2352<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:chris.hall@legis.iowa.gov">chris.hall@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>515.281.3221<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:lee.hein@legis.iowa.gov">lee.hein@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:heinlee@gmail.com">heinlee@gmail.com</a> (home)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>319.465.5805 (home)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>319.480.1997 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:brian.meyer@legis.iowa.gov">brian.meyer@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>515.281.3221<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:gary.mohr@legis.iowa.gov">gary.mohr@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>515.281.3221<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:jo.oldson@legis.iowa.gov">jo.oldson@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>515.255.2805<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:todd.prichard@legis.iowa.gov">todd.prichard@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>641.228.6070<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:sharon.steckman@legis.iowa.gov">sharon.steckman@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:steckman@hotmail.com">steckman@hotmail.com</a> (home)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>641.424.9362<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:john.wills@legis.iowa.gov">john.wills@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:willisforiowa@gmail.com">willisforiowa@gmail.com</a> (home)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>712.330.9492<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:matt.windschitl@legis.iowa.gov">matt.windschitl@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>712.642.4334<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>Group Email Addresses for Legislative Council<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:jack.whitver@legis.iowa.gov">jack.whitver@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:joe.bolkcom@legis.iowa.gov">joe.bolkcom@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:jerry.behn@legis.iowa.gov">jerry.behn@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:jake.chapman@legis.iowa.gov">jake.chapman@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:randy.feenstra@legis.iowa.gov">randy.feenstra@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:pam.jochum@legis.iowa.gov">pam.jochum@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:jim.lykam@legis.iowa.gov">jim.lykam@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:janet.petersen@legis.iowa.gov">janet.petersen@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:amanda.ragan@legis.iowa.gov">amanda.ragan@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:Charles.schneider@legis.iowa.gov">Charles.schneider@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:amy.sinclair@legis.iowa.gov">amy.sinclair@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:dan.zumbach@legis.iowa.gov">dan.zumbach@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:pat.grassley@legis.iowa.gov">pat.grassley@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:jane.bloomingdale@legis.iowa.gov">jane.bloomingdale@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:dave.deyoe@legis.iowa.gov">dave.deyoe@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:chris.hall@legis.iowa.gov">chris.hall@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:lee.hein@legis.iowa.gov">lee.hein@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:brian.meyer@legis.iowa.gov">brian.meyer@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:gary.mohr@legis.iowa.gov">gary.mohr@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:jo.oldson@legis.iowa.gov">jo.oldson@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:todd.prichard@legis.iowa.gov">todd.prichard@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:sharon.steckman@legis.iowa.gov">sharon.steckman@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:john.wills@legis.iowa.gov">john.wills@legis.iowa.gov</a>; <a href="mailto:matt.windschitl@legis.iowa.gov">matt.windschitl@legis.iowa.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>