[MD-Sligo] Help Needed to End Segregated Voting for the Disabled

[Renee Donalvo]

Thanks Sharon. I just emailed my letter to Senator Craig Zucker.

Renee

 

 

From: MD-Sligo [mailto:md-sligo-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sharon Maneki via MD-Sligo
Sent: Sunday, March 14, 2021 1:01 PM
To: central-md-chapter at nfbnet.org; greater-baltimore at nfbnet.org; mabm at nfbnet.org; md-atlarge at nfbnet.org; md-sligo at nfbnet.org; mdabs at nfbnet.org; mdpobc at nfbnet.org; nationalharbor at nfbnet.org; nfbmd at nfbnet.org; nfbmdtlc-chapter at nfbnet.org
Cc: Sharon Maneki
Subject: [MD-Sligo] Help Needed to End Segregated Voting for the Disabled

 

Hello all,

 

Please email your state senator right away, but no later than Monday night, March 15. Ask your senator to vote in favor of SB831. I will provide a sample note for your senator at the end of this email. 

 

SB831 is a long bill that contains many changes in the voting process. Senator Lam amended this bill to alleviate the segregated voting problem for people with disabilities and the committee passed this amendment. Now we need the whole Senate to pass the bill with our important amendment. Please make sure that we take full advantage of this opportunity to move our voting issue forward. 

 

The amendment says:

 

THE FOLLOWING PERCENTAGES OF VOTERS, AT A MINIMUM, ON EACH DAY OF EARLY VOTING AND ON ELECTION DAY SHALL USE A BALLOT MARKING DEVICE THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO VOTERS WITH DISABILITIES
TO VOTE AT EACH EARLY VOTING CENTER AND EACH ELECTION DAY POLLING PLACE:
1. 10% OF VOTERS DURING THE 2022 STATEWIDE PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTIONS;
2. 20% OF VOTERS DURING THE 2024 STATEWIDE PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTIONS; AND

3. 30% OF VOTERS DURING EACH SUBSEQUENT STATEWIDE PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTION.

 

The amendment also contains training and reporting requirements.

 

Please call 410-715-9596 if you do not know who your senator is and I will tell you.

 

Here is a sample note for your senator:

 

Dear Senator,

 

Please vote in favor of SB831, the Election Reform Act of 2021. This bill contains a provision that will alleviate the segregated voting problem that persons with disabilities have faced during the last five election cycles. Some people may say that this amendment will cost too much money. Please remember that this is a civil rights issue. The government should be willing to pay to promote democracy. The State Board of Elections could find a cheaper ballot marking device if they wished to do so because they exist. 

 

Blind and disabled voters are entitled to the same secret ballot that other voters have. 

 

Sincerely,

Name

Address

 

Sharon Maneki, Director of Legislation and Advocacy

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

410-715-9596

 

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Everyday we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.

 

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