[KeyStoneChapter] Request Your Accessible Mail-In Ballot for the November 3 Election (Pennsylvania Only)

[Joseph Drenth]

Hello everyone,
 
The Pennsylvania Department of State has published instructions for
requesting your accessible electronic ballot marking tool for the upcoming
general election. The full instructions are further below, copied from the
web page.
 
Here is the link to the web page that describes the process (the text of
which is copied further below):
https://www.votespa.com/Voting-in-PA/Pages/Accessible-Remote-Ballot-Marking-
Solution-for-Mail-Voting.aspx
 
Short Version of the Instructions:
 
Step 1: If you have not already requested a mail-in ballot for the November
3 election, complete the following form to request the standard,
inaccessible paper mail-in ballot. This is a required step. If you signed up
for automatic delivery of the mail-in ballot during the primary election,
then you can skip this step. If in doubt, submit the form at the following
site:
https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/OnlineAbsenteeApplication/#/OnlineAbsente
eBegin
 
Step 2: Complete the form at the following link to request an accessible
electronic ballot. They recommend doing this within 24 hours of submitting
the form in Step 1 above because they will skip sending you the paper
ballot, since they will send you a link to complete the accessible
electronic ballot, but they will send you the envelopes in which to return
your accessible ballot once you print it:
https://expressforms.pa.gov/apps/pa/DOS/Remote-Access-Ballot-Request
 
Step 3: Please send an email to us at the following email address to let us
know that you requested an accessible ballot. This is very important for
tracking how many people in Pennsylvania are using this tool, and your
feedback will be very important in case we need to take the Department of
State back to court in the future:
vote at nfbp.org <mailto:vote at nfbp.org> 
 
 
Here is the text of the Department of State web page about the accessible
electronic ballot:
 
Accessible Remote Ballot Marking Solution for Mail Voting
 
The Department of State is committed to increasing accessibility for voters
with disabilities.
Voters may request an accessible remote ballot beginning with November 3,
2020, General Election.
These ballots will allow voters who use screen readers and assistive devices
to vote a mail ballot privately and independently.
 
To obtain an accessible remote ballot, an individual must:
. Be a registered Pennsylvania voter.
. Apply for an absentee or mail-in ballot by the deadline (October 27).
. Submit a request for an accessible remote ballot
The request can be by the following methods:
1. Accessible web-based request form for the remote ballot.
2. Complete the accessible PDF application and either mail it to their
county board of elections or email it to ra-awib at pa.gov.
 
In order to apply for an accessible remote ballot, you must have applied for
an absentee or mail-in ballot.
To avoid delays in processing your request, please submit your request
within 24 hours of applying for your mail-in or absentee ballot.
After your county board of elections office processes your request, they
will:
. Mail you a packet of accessible voting materials.
This packet will contain a return envelope and a secrecy envelope.
. Send you an email with instructions for how to access the ballot.
 
Follow the instructions in the email to access the ballot, mark the ballot,
print and review the ballot, and return the ballot to the county board of
elections office. 
When you access the ballot, you will also find instructions for completing
and returning the ballot.
Return your ballot as early as possible.
Your ballot must be postmarked or dropped off at the County Board of
Elections or other drop-off location designated by the Board by 8 pm on
Election Day, November 3rd.
Check the county website for times and locations.
 
*** End of the web page.
 
I just completed both electronic forms above and received email after
completing each one. The forms have a simple CAPTCHA for which you only need
to click on the link immediately before clicking the "Next" or "continue"
buttons. The CAPTCHA will time out after about 20 seconds (not sure exactly
how long), so if you wait too long before going on to the next page you will
have to click the CAPTCHA button again.
 
If you have any questions, please send an email to vote at nfbp.org
<mailto:vote at nfbp.org>  and we will help.
 
Thank you,
The NFB of PA Accessible Voting Team
 
 
Joseph Drenth 
First Vice-President, National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania State Board of Vocational Rehabilitation
Senior R&D Software Engineer, JBT Corporation, Automated Systems Division
Cell: 215-827-7787
Email: joe.drenth at gmail.com
 
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