[IL-Talk] create your voting opportunity

[David Meyer]

Hello everyone,

 

Below this note, I am pasting a letter stressing the need for everyone on
this list to call their respective election authorities now if not sooner. I
will eventually have a list of numbers that may be called. In order to take
part, you will need to know the county you are in. Let's all pull together
and make voting independently by e-mail happen.

 

Dear Lister, 

 

As you probably know, the Help America Vote Act ensures that voting systems
must permit people with disabilities to vote independently. Many of us will
choose to vote by mail in our upcoming election. Mail-in ballots present a
challenge for us as blind voters, as we need to be able to mark our choices
without sighted assistance.

 

The NFB of Illinois has been working with the Board of Elections to ensure
that we have the option of voting privately and independently. The state
Board of Elections has paid for an accessible system that any county can
use. Unfortunately, only fifteen of the more than one hundred counties in
the state have opted to acquire this system so far. Please reach out to your
county board of elections and ask about exercising your right to an
accessible ballot. 

 

Time is of the essence! Counties need to opt into the accessible system by
Friday, September 18.  If your county needs more information, ask that they
reach out to the board of elections ADA coordinator and to attend to an
email sent last week 

on this issue from the State Board of Elections. 

 

Denise Avant has been coordinating our overall efforts on voting rights and
has the packet sent to all 

boards of election across the state. Please don't let your rights lapse. Act
now!

 

 

Patti S. Gregory-Chang Esq.

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois, Treasurer

773-307-6440

www.nfbofillinois.org 

 

 

 

 

David Meyer, NFB of Illinois

Coordinator and Channel Administrator, NFB-NewsLine

Chicago Chapter President