[IABS-Talk] Your Help is Needed Now on SB 829!

[denise avant]

Hello all,

We are asking you to do an action item on SB 829, Accessible Vote by Mail as
soon as possible. If the legislative session ends by April 8, this is our
last chance to advocate on this issue. 

Based on recent history in Illinois we expect any individual election bills
that make it this session to be passed as part of an omnibus elections bill.
We expect that the matter will be assigned to the House Ethics & Elections
Committee and the Senate Executive Committee. So, our action alert regarding
SB 829 should be directed at the members listed below. We're advocating for
a solution with the Illinois State Board of Elections regarding the primary.
So, you just want to ask for support of SB 829 as it stands. Thank you for
all you do. If you need assistance or have questions, please reach out to me
or David Meyer.

ACTION ALERT: STAND UP FOR THE RIGHTS OF VOTERS WITH PRINT DISABILITIES

SUPPORT SB 829 TO PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE VOTE BY MAIL 

 

Unlike Illinois voters without disabilities, Illinois voters who are blind,
have low vision or have other print disabilities who wish to vote by mail
are denied the ability to vote privately and independently.  They are
required to receive a paper ballot in the mail and mark, sign and return
that paper ballot to the local election authority.  To do so, they must ask
a person without disabilities for assistance in completing and submitting
their ballots.  SB 829 seeks to address this inequity by allowing voters
with print disabilities to electronically receive, mark and verify their
vote by mail ballots using assistive technology.

 

SB 829 will bring Illinois closer to compliance with the federal Help
America Vote Act ("HAVA"), Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act
("ADA") and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which make clear that
individuals with disabilities must be afforded an opportunity to exercise
their right to vote that is equal to that afforded to voters without
disabilities, including the ability to vote privately and independently.
Other states have successfully allowed vote by mail ballots to be
electronically transmitted, marked, and verified for years.  It is time for
Illinois to take this step forward.

 

ACT NOW: THE ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS SET TO ADJOURN ON APRIL 8TH.

 

CALL LEGISLATORS ON THE COMMITTEES LISTED BELOW TO URGE THEM TO SUPPORT THE
RIGHTS OF VOTERS WITH PRINT DISABILITIES BY VOTING YES ON SB 829.

 

IF YOU ARE A CONSTITUENT OF A LEGISLATOR, BE SURE TO LET THEM KNOW!

 

House Ethics and Elections Committee                        Senate Executive
Committee

Rep. Kelly Burke 217-782-0515                                       Sen.
Cristina Castro 217-782-7746

Rep. Katie Stuart 217-782-8018                                      Sen.
Bill Cunningham 217-782-5145

Rep. Ryan Spain 217-782-8108                                        Sen.
Omar Aquino 217-782-5652

Rep. Carol Ammons 217-558-1009                                 Sen. Don
Harmon 217-782-8176

Rep. Tom Demmer 217-782-0535                                   Sen. Napoleon
Harris 217-782-8066

Rep. Daniel Didech 217-782-0499                                   Sen.
Michael Hastings 217-782-9595

Rep. Marcus Evans 217-782-8272                                   Sen. Linda
Holmes 217-782-0422

Rep. Edgar Gonzalez 217-782-7752                                Sen. Mattie
Hunter 217-782-5966

Rep. Natalie Manley 217-782-3316                                Sen.
Kimberly Lightford 217-782-8505

Rep. Martin McLaughlin 217-782-1517                         Sen. Antonio
Munoz 217-782-9415

Rep. Tim Ozinga 217-782-0424                                       Sen.
Laura Murphy 217-782-3875

Rep. Robert Rita 217-558-1000                                       Sen.
Jason Barickman 217-782-6597

Rep. Tom Weber 217-782-1664                                      Sen. Dan
McConchie 217-782-8010

Rep. Blaine Wilhour 217-782-0066                                 Sen. Donald
DeWitte 217-782-1977

Rep. Ann Williams 217-782-2458                                    Sen. Sue
Rezin 217-782-3840

Rep. Patrick Windhorst 217-782-5131                           Sen. Dave
Syverson 217-782-5413

Rep. Sam Yingling 217-782-7320                                     Sen. Jil
Tracy 217-782-2479

Rep. Michael Zalewski 217-782-5280

 

 

Denise Avant, ESQ

1st Vice President

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

For more information about NFBI,

Go to www.nfbofillinois.org