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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Hello Federation Family and Friends,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>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.</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Calligraphy";color:#4F738B'> <strong><span style='font-family:"Lucida Calligraphy"'>Charlie Kinnune from Democracy Live </span></strong></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>This amendment Provides uniformity. H-3577 is sponsored by Sean Garballey<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><a href="https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/HD2757">https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/HD2757</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Reasons to consider supporting and promoting H-3577:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>The greater disability community supports this bill .<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:15.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#3C4043;letter-spacing:.15pt'>Here is the H-3577 text:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:24.0pt;background:white'><span class=contentpasted0><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#333333'>Section 44 of chapter 54 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-</span></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Raleway;color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin-bottom:10.0pt;line-height:24.0pt;background:white;box-sizing: border-box'><span class=contentpasted0><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#333333'>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.</span></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Raleway;color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>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. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:15.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#3C4043;letter-spacing:.15pt'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:15.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#3C4043;letter-spacing:.15pt'>Here is the Zoom information: <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:15.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#3C4043;letter-spacing:.15pt'> <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fnfb-org.zoom.us%2Fj%2F9798687370&sa=D&source=calendar&usd=2&usg=AOvVaw3Z8kwltvzYhYGFyABjLPNZ" target="_blank">https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/9798687370</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:15.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#3C4043;letter-spacing:.15pt'>Meeting ID: 979 868 7370<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:15.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#3C4043;letter-spacing:.15pt'>---<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:15.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#3C4043;letter-spacing:.15pt'>One tap mobile<br>+13092053325,,9798687370# US<br>+13126266799,,9798687370# US (Chicago)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:15.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#3C4043;letter-spacing:.15pt'>---<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#3C4043;letter-spacing:.15pt'>Dial by your location<br>• +1 309 205 3325 US<br>• +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)<br>• +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#3C4043;letter-spacing:.15pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#3C4043;letter-spacing:.15pt'>Please let me know if you have any questions or would like more information. Otherwise, see you this Thursday, August 24 at 7PM. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#3C4043;letter-spacing:.15pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#3C4043;letter-spacing:.15pt'>At Your Service, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:#3C4043;letter-spacing:.15pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Shara Winton<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>President, National Federation of the Blind of Massachusetts<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>617-304-0347<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Shara Winton<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>President, National Federation of the Blind of Massachusetts<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>617-304-0347<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>