[Massachusetts-NFB] Democracy Live Zoom meeting to discuss H-3577 regarding equal access to voting
Sandra Burgess
SandraBurgess at msn.com
Sat Sep 9 21:51:20 UTC 2023
Hi Sandra,
The Disability Law Center is looking for volunteers willing to testify about the importance of polling place accessibility and on experiences with accessibility barriers when voting in person during a hearing at the State House next Wednesday, September 13th @ 1pm. Participants will have the option of testifying in person in State House room A1 and virtually through Microsoft Teams.
Volunteers will be testifying in support of H. 701 (https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/H701) - An Act Enforcing accessibility for voters with disabilities, a standalone bill which is also part 4 of the Voting Access Act. The Act requires the Secretary of the Commonwealth to arrange inspection of all polling places and early voting sites at least once every four years, to ensure compliance with federal and state disability accessibility laws.
Please let DLC know if you are willing and able to join us in testifying at the hearing. To register to testify virtually, you must provide contact information through this form<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfK713r63f-_4aX-W_iFedXoXdncBjy3alDoB0AdDp4imigeg/viewform?usp=sf_link> by 4:00 PM on Monday, September 11, 2023. Individuals and groups testifying in person are also encouraged to register online. Written testimony may be submitted by Friday, September 22, 2023, to the Joint Committee on Election Laws at 24 Beacon Street, Room 445, Boston, MA 02133, or by email to colleen.bellotti at mahouse.gov<mailto:colleen.bellotti at mahouse.gov> and mark.sternman at masenate.gov<mailto:mark.sternman at masenate.gov>.
Testifying about your own experience with in-person voting accessibility issues will ensure that your voices are heard when it comes to the ongoing fight for equality at the polls for all in Massachusetts. Thanks to each of you for all of your efforts to make voting in Massachusetts accessible for all.
Thank you,
Emily Almeda-Lopez (She/Her/Hers)
Voting Rights Advocate
Disability Law Center, Inc.
Direct phone/fax/text: (617) 221-8451<tel:(617)%20221-8451>
<tel:(617)%20221-8451>
[DLC circle logo with the text 'The Protection & Advocacy Agency for People with Disabilities' around the scales of justice]<http://www.dlc-ma.org/> [Facebook logo] <https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Disability-Law-Center-of-Massachusetts/87454558425> [Twitter Logo] <https://twitter.com/DLCMA> [YouTube logo] <https://www.youtube.com/user/DisabilityLawCenter>
United Way Code: M361888
Massachusetts Register to Vote Online<https://www.sec.state.ma.us/OVR/>
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in this electronic message is confidential and solely for the use of the recipient(s) and the Disability Law Center. Its contents may be protected from disclosure by attorney-client privilege, the work-product doctrine, or federal law governing the confidentiality of information held by the Protection and Advocacy System. See, e.g., 45 C.F.R. sec. 1326.28; 42 U.S.C. 10806(a); 42 C.F.R. 51.45(a).
From: Massachusetts-NFB <massachusetts-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Sandra Burgess via Massachusetts-NFB
Sent: Saturday, September 9, 2023 5:47 PM
To: NFB of Massachusetts E-mail List <massachusetts-nfb at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Sandra Burgess <SandraBurgess at msn.com>
Subject: Re: [Massachusetts-NFB] Democracy Live Zoom meeting to discuss H-3577 regarding equal access to voting
Justin has prompted me to not assume everyone has information I received, so here is one post with one to come. --- Sandy Burgess
Hello BSCB Members and Friends,
On September 19th at 1:00, a Hearing is taking place at the State House. The Hearing is about Amendment H3577, The Unified Ballot Bill. In this email we will include the language of the Bill for your convenience. This bill states that Massachusetts will choose accessible voting machines that will produce an identical ballot as all voters in the Commonwealth, that no ballot with a bar code or QR code will be used in place of the ballot used in every precinct, including absentee ballots.
As the Voter Mark machines, currently located in every precinct in the State are aging and breaking down, parts are no longer being produced to repair these accessible voting machines. Massachusetts is starting the process of looking into the next generation of this technology, H3577 will ensure that whatever the State chooses as the next accessible voting machine, all voters will have a system in place that will produce an identical ballot, not one that is different, making users of voting machines stand out, taking away our right of privacy.
Here is the language of Bill H3577.
Section 44 of chapter 54 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-
Ballots shall be uniform in size, material and content for all voters in a polling place, regardless of whether the ballot is voted on a ballot-marking device or directly on a paper ballot. Ballots shall be tabulated directly from the voter-marked selections and not from a barcode, QR code or other representation not marked by the voter, either on a ballot-marking device or directly on paper.
What are we asking of. You?
The Hearing is the first step for this Amendment, at this time the Election Law Joint Committee, which is made up of both members of the State’s Senate and House, are in the process of debating the Bill.
We are asking that you contact the members of the Election Law Joint Committee, there names and contact information are listed below. Let them know how important it is for our ballots to be the same as all voters in the Commonwealth. That our privacy is a Right as citizens. Call or email these members, the choice is yours, but please take action NOW and let your voice be heard.
Election Law
Joint Committee
Committee Leadership:
Senate:
D- John Keenen – Chair
617 722 1494
John.Keenan at masenate.gov<mailto:John.Keenan at masenate.gov>
D- Adam Gomez- Vice Chair
617 722 1660
D- Adam.Gomez at masenate.gov<mailto:Adam.Gomez at masenate.gov>
House:
D- Daniel Ryan – Chair
617 722 2460
Dan.Ryan at mahouse.gov<mailto:Dan.Ryan at mahouse.gov>
D- Tommy Vitolo – Vice Chair
617 722 2220
Tommy.vitolo at mahouse.gov<mailto:Tommy.vitolo at mahouse.gov>
Committee Members( no particular order)
Cynthia Stone Creem
617 722 1639
Cynthia.creem at masenate.gov<mailto:Cynthia.creem at masenate.gov>
James B Eldridge
617 722 1120
James.eldridge at masenate.gov<mailto:James.eldridge at masenate.gov>
Jacob Oliveira
617 722 1291
Jacob.oliviera at masenate.gov<mailto:Jacob.oliviera at masenate.gov>
Ryan Fattman(assistant Minority Leader)
617 722 1944
Ryan.fattman at masenate.gov<mailto:Ryan.fattman at masenate.gov>
Jessica Ann Giannino
617 722 2011
Jessica.giannino at mahouse.gov<mailto:Jessica.giannino at mahouse.gov>
Alan Silvia
617 722 2230
Alan.silvia at mahouse.gov<mailto:Alan.silvia at mahouse.gov>
Patrick Joseph Kearney
617 722 2014
Patrick.kearney at mahouse.gov<mailto:Patrick.kearney at mahouse.gov>
Carol A. Doherty
617 722 2014
Carol.doherty at mahouse.gov<mailto:Carol.doherty at mahouse.gov>
Daniel Carey
617 722 2396
Daniel.carey at mahouse.gov<mailto:Daniel.carey at mahouse.gov>
Meghan Kilcoyne
617 722 2396
Meghan.kilcoyne at mahouse.gov<mailto:Meghan.kilcoyne at mahouse.gov>
John Francis Moran
617 722 2460
John.moran at mahouse.gov<mailto:John.moran at mahouse.gov>
Paul K Frost(Ranking Minority)
617 722 2489
Paul.frost at mahouse.gov<mailto:Paul.frost at mahouse.gov>
Bradley H Jones Jr.
617 722 2100
BBradley.jones at mahouse.gov<mailto:Bradley.jones at mahouse.gov>
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact either Nona Haroyan or Jerry Berrier.
Thank you,
The Advocacy Committee
Nona Haroyan, Co Chair
774 420-5678
Jerry Berrier, Co Chair
508 735-4420
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From: Massachusetts-NFB <massachusetts-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org<mailto:massachusetts-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org>> On Behalf Of Sandra Burgess via Massachusetts-NFB
Sent: Saturday, September 9, 2023 5:32 PM
To: NFB of Massachusetts E-mail List <massachusetts-nfb at nfbnet.org<mailto:massachusetts-nfb at nfbnet.org>>
Cc: Sandra Burgess <SandraBurgess at msn.com<mailto:SandraBurgess at msn.com>>; Lou Ann Blake <LBlake at nfb.org<mailto:LBlake at nfb.org>>
Subject: Re: [Massachusetts-NFB] Democracy Live Zoom meeting to discuss H-3577 regarding equal access to voting
Hello Justin,
Thanks for prompting to send what information I have to everyone. I am not sure about the Sept. 9th hearing, though I received an email yesterday regarding another similar hearing middle of this coming week. I will forward to this list.
153573
From: Massachusetts-NFB <massachusetts-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org<mailto:massachusetts-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org>> On Behalf Of Justin Salisbury via Massachusetts-NFB
Sent: Saturday, September 9, 2023 4:49 PM
To: NFB of Massachusetts E-mail List <massachusetts-nfb at nfbnet.org<mailto:massachusetts-nfb at nfbnet.org>>
Cc: Justin Salisbury <PRESIDENT at alumni.ecu.edu<mailto:PRESIDENT at alumni.ecu.edu>>; Lou Ann Blake <LBlake at nfb.org<mailto:LBlake at nfb.org>>
Subject: Re: [Massachusetts-NFB] Democracy Live Zoom meeting to discuss H-3577 regarding equal access to voting
Hi everyone,
Are we still expecting a hearing on H. 3577 in 10 days?
I am not seeing this action reflected on the website for our state legislature. I’m attempting to do my part to help with writing, but I am still needing information about the hearing.
Thanks all,
Justin
Justin Salisbury (he/him)
2117 Chestnut Hill Ave
Athol, MA 01331
Phone: 808.797.8606
Email: President at Alumni.ECU.edu<mailto:President at Alumni.ECU.edu>
From: Massachusetts-NFB <massachusetts-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org<mailto:massachusetts-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org>> On Behalf Of Shara Winton via Massachusetts-NFB
Sent: Monday, August 21, 2023 8:07 AM
To: 'NFB of Massachusetts E-mail List' <massachusetts-nfb at nfbnet.org<mailto:massachusetts-nfb at nfbnet.org>>
Cc: sharawinton at gmail.com<mailto:sharawinton at gmail.com>
Subject: [Massachusetts-NFB] Democracy Live Zoom meeting to discuss H-3577 regarding equal access to voting
Hello Federation Family and Friends,
This Thursday, August 24 at 7PM, we will be holding an information and discussion about an upcoming hearing regarding an amendment to the current access to voting for our community. Charlie Kinnune from Democracy Live Will join us to help us understand the importance of supporting this legislation. I have also invited some people from our National office of the NFB. We will discuss if and why we might want to support and promote H-3577.
This amendment Provides uniformity. H-3577 is sponsored by Sean Garballey
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/HD2757
Reasons to consider supporting and promoting H-3577:
Provides uniformity. Codifies the existing practice in Massachusetts. This bill would ensure all voters will continue to receive the same ballot as all voters in a polling place.
Provides transparency and trust. New systems provide what they call “separate but equal” access. With these systems, voters with disabilities use a system that produces a receipt with a barcode as the official ballot. It looks different from other ballots in the polling place and the barcode is tabulated. It’s not human readable.
The greater disability community supports this bill .
Here is the H-3577 text:
Section 44 of chapter 54 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-
Ballots shall be uniform in size, material and content for all voters in a polling place, regardless of whether the ballot is voted on a ballot-marking device or directly on a paper ballot. Ballots shall be tabulated directly from the voter-marked selections and not from a barcode, QR code or other representation not marked by the voter, either on a ballot-marking device or directly on paper.
The hearing date is set for September 19 at 1PM. At this time, we are not sure of the location, but we will publicize that as soon as we know.
Our discussion will be held Thursday night, August via Zoom. We will begin at 7PM. Some members of ACB, will be joining us. I have also invited people from our National office.
Here is the Zoom information:
https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/9798687370<https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb-org.zoom.us%2Fj%2F9798687370&sa=D&source=calendar&usd=2&usg=AOvVaw3Z8kwltvzYhYGFyABjLPNZ>
Meeting ID: 979 868 7370
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Please let me know if you have any questions or would like more information. Otherwise, see you this Thursday, August 24 at 7PM.
At Your Service,
Shara Winton
President, National Federation of the Blind of Massachusetts
617-304-0347
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