[nagdu] voting nightmare

Tracy Carcione carcione at access.net
Thu Oct 23 17:43:29 UTC 2008


I thought so too, so I reported it to the NFB accessible voting hotline we
had set up when these things first rolled out.
Ain't it a fine thing, to be aware of one's rights!
Tracy

> You know, them complaining is inappropriate, and one might say touches
> very close to voter intimidation.
> You may want to mention that next time they do, and maybe mention it to
> one of the lawyers that hangs out near the polls. Each location has
> several of either party to make sure all voters feel comfortable.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Tracy Carcione
> Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2008 8:03 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] voting nightmare
>
> Gracious Stepper!  How extremely rude of them!  Glad to hear you will be
> helping train these people.  What were they thinking!
>
> I've never had such trouble voting, thank goodness.  They do complain a
> lot about setting up the accessible machine for me.  They have to take
> it offline from the normal way, and set it up the audio way, and it
> takes them like half an hour, partly because they don't really know how
> to do it and always have to call headquarters for directions.  But then
> I can vote all by myself, instead of squeezing in with 2 big officials
> and trying to explain the ballot to them.  I know where stuff is, and
> they don't.  But I don't have to do that anymore!  I just have to listen
> to them complain for a while.
> Tracy
>
>> Hello listers.
>> My understanding is that at times we can write about blindness issues
>> having nothing to do with guide dogs. so with that understanding I
>> hope this is correct, here goes.
>>
>> This is Stepper.
>>
>> Two days ago on the 20th I went to vote early.
>> My wife Lynda who is sighted had a ballad sent to the house for her.
>> However, I feel that as a blind person that helped with the fight to
>> make it possible for the blind and visually impaired and other
>> disabilities to vote using the Auto Mark Voting Machine at a cost for
>> our state of Idaho$5000 each, and there's 960 machines through out the
>
>> state, at a total cost of $4800000.
>> Well, that's a big deal! So I believe its very important to show the
>> public and the law makers that we raised hell for the right to vote,
>> and here we are in the flesh!
>>
>> That's my stump speech.
>>
>> We get to the voting place, and we are directed to the lady that
>> checks to see if your on the voting rolls. So far so good.
>> That is where the good left, and the bad and the ugly took over.
>> After the woman found my name she refused to hand me the paper that
>> had to be signed in two places.
>> But she refused to talk to me at all. She kept trying to talk around
>> me, to my wife Lynda. Even when Lynda backed up a few steps.
>> I put my hand up palm outward  the world wide sign for "STOP!" not
> her.
>> She kept trying to talk to my wife.
>> There were people backing up behind us. So finally, the lady slid the
>> paper over, and I picked it up, and moved down the table. With Lynda's
>
>> assistance I signed the document in the two places needed.
>> I than moved to my right a couple steps, where I was checked off as
>> being there. I then moved a little more to my right where the lady was
>
>> to hand me my "Secret Ballad."
>> I started to reach out so she could place it in my hand.
>> All of a sudden,  someone  grasps me by my left wrist, turning me
>> halfway around, and clamping my left arm under there right arm. Then
>> this person, takes off dragging me as it were away from the table.
>> At the same time I hear a rustling of a large envelope keeping pace
>> with us.
>> I plant both my feet, and said, "What the hell are you doing? Do you
>> have my "Secret Ballad?" "Give me my ballad now!"
>> What's the matter with you?" "And stop dragging me!"
>> This person turned  out to be a man, a larger man then I am, and I am
>> 6 feet tall, and weigh 190 pounds.
>> He said, "I was going to carry your "Ballad" for you, and take you to
>> the voting machine."
>> I then got my ballad back in my hand.
>> I told him if you want to help then let me take your arm. It is much
>> better to be led, then it is to be dragged.
>> My wife stayed out of it, because I never want her jumping in on this
>> stuff. I handle it myself. However, she said she saw it all, and even
>> after all these years being married to me she still has times like
>> what I am trying to describe just planed shocks her.
>>
>> I then was led to the voting machine in a civil manner, where I was to
>
>> vote my wonderful "Secret Ballad."
>> When this was over, the next morning I was on the phone to commission
>> for the Blind, and posting this experience on the Idaho discussion
>> list, and getting hold of  the head of elections for the disabled. The
>
>> upshot was excuses, about the pole workers had been running around 600
>
>> people a day through the voting sight. He said they had had,
> "sensitivity training."
>> He did admit, that it seemed everyone on mass forgot there
>> "sensitivity training."
>> Before the conversation was over the head of elections for the
>> disabled put in a email to me asking if I would help in traing pole
>> workers state wide.
>> Will this come true? I am not sure, but if I can I will.
>>
>> But it also could be, "Lip stick on a pig."
>>
>> By the way almost the same thing happened to me four years ago accept
>> for the ballad.
>> In fact, this man asked me if I had written a letter to the news paper
>
>> about my experience four years ago? I said, "you got it."
>> You can see how well my letter to the paper worked.
>>
>> In spite of experiences, nothing changes until something changes.
>> Please, everyone that can, please vote publicly if you can, and if you
>
>> can't get out, just vote.
>> We are at the time of the most important election in our life time.
>>  Remember our right to vote was bought by our young men and women's
>> blood and life time injuries.
>>
>> Stepper
>>
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>
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