[Fabs] Fwd: [NFBF-Leaders] Accessible Vote By Mail

Tue Oct 13 10:45:19 UTC 2020

    	Fyi
    	Jorge Hernandez 

From: NFBF-Leaders <nfbf-leaders-bounces at nfbnet.org> on behalf of Camille Tate via NFBF-Leaders <nfbf-leaders at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, October 12, 2020 10:32 AM
To: 'NFB of Florida List for Leaders'; 'NFB of Florida Internet Mailing List'
Cc: ctate2076 at att.net
Subject: [NFBF-Leaders] Accessible Vote By Mail 

Greetings Florida Federationists: 

As promised during the Legislative Committee workshop at state convention, I am re-sending the template letter for use with your Supervisor of Elections. Please make sure to insert your name and chapter name in the body of the letter. If you need help, please feel free to reach out to me using the contact information below. In addition to posting the letter to this email, I have also pasted it in the body as well, below my signature. 

Together,

Camille 

Sincerely, 

Camille Tate 

President, Melbourne Space Coast Chapter, National Federation of the Blind, FL 

Board of Directors, National Federation of the Blind, FL 

Email: ctate2076 at att.net 

Phone: 321 372 4899 

Dear Supervisor of Elections: 

My name is [insert name]. I am a member of the [insert name of chapter] of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida. We are a proud member of the National Federation of the Blind, the nation’s oldest and largest organization of the blind. I am an eligible voter in [name of 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 at a polling precinct. 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 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that voters with disabilities be provided an opportunity to vote privately and independently that is equal to the opportunity provided to voters without disabilities. 

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. 

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 the blind and print disabled allows us to continue to exercise our right as blind voters to vote and is a way to remain 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. 

Sincerely,

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