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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Please be alert to the following issues.
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<p style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">From the MD Disability Law Cetner<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">MD Allliance members and friends:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Important information from MDLC to share with constituents-<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Now that we have moved to the availability of voting using a pre-printed paper ballot, Maryland Disability Law Center has been fighting the
state over the use or underuse of the accessible ballot marking device (BMD), which marks the ballot electronically and then prints it to then be scanned. The BMDs use a ballot that is different in size and shape as compared to the pre-printed paper ballot.
The Attorney General’s Office has therefore stated that we need voters with and without disabilities to use the BMD to protect the privacy of the disability vote. However, some candidates do not like the machines for a number of reasons and the State Board
of Elections has severely limited their use. Election judges have supposedly been instructed that anyone can ask to use the BMD, but they have also be instructed not to tell voters that the BMD is available, unless the voter has a “visible disability.”<br>
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Recent reports from voters have shown the difficulties and barriers that voters are facing in accessing the BMD.<br>
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One voter was asked if she “has a disability.” Another was told that those machines are only for the “handicapped” or for voters with disabilities. One of these voters was also told that the “handicapped machine” is only for an audio ballot (which is not true).
That person was so frustrated by the push back that she ended up voting using the paper ballot.<br>
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Voters should not have to fight or argue to use the BMD. It shouldn’t be that hard.<br>
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What can you do?<br>
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1) Ask to use the Ballot Marking Device? If you get pushback, advise the election judge that anyone can use the BMD. As one voter stated to the election judge, “how do you know I don’t have a disability?” That seemed sufficient to quiet the election judge.<br>
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2) Let us know where you voted and report your experience.<br>
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3) Also, please look to see if the attached signage was posted anywhere that lets voters know about the accessible ballot marking machine.<br>
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Thanks and happy voting!<br>
<br>
Virginia & Alyssa<br>
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Confidentiality Notice: This email may contain confidential information that may also be legally privileged and that is intended only for the use of the addressee(s) named above.<br>
<br>
If you received this email as an MDLC client, please do not share and do not forward this message without talking to the sender. Keeping this email confidential protects your attorney-client privilege.<br>
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If you received this e-mail as co-counsel, agent or retained expert of MDLC, you should maintain its contents in confidence in order to preserve any applicable privileges.<br>
<br>
If you are not the intended recipient or an authorized agent of the recipient, please be advised that any dissemination or copying of this email, or taking any action in reliance on the information contained herein, is strictly prohibited. If you have received
this email in error, please notify me immediately by use of the Reply button, and then delete the email from your computer system.<br>
Internal MDLC email communications should not be forwarded outside the agency without the original sender's permission.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p style="background:white"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Kindest Regards, </span></strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Betsy Tolbert Luecking, Community Outreach Manager
</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Commission on Veterans Affairs</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Commission on People with Disabilities
</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Montgomery County Dept. of Health & Human Services</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">401 Hungerford Drive - 4th floor, Rockville, MD 20850</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white"><strong><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">240-777-1256 V - 240-418-4865 Cell</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black"><a href="http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cpwd" id="LPNoLP"><strong><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cpwd</span></strong></a> </span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white"><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black"><a href="http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cva" id="LPNoLP"><strong><span style="font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cva</span></strong></a> </span><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><a href="http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/veterans" id="LPNoLP"><strong><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"">www.montgomerycountymd.gov/veterans</span></strong></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p style="background:white"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><img border="0" width="225" height="225" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:e1330693-560c-4515-9550-cf4ac2477062" alt="1455904108419_StarsLayoutGoldFinalEmail.png"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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