[nagdu] voting nightmare

Fri Oct 24 14:47:25 UTC 2008

Hi Tracy. 
My husband regards politics as a sport, and he loves elections. 
I told him of your situation, and he said that parties will have lawyers
on stand-by but not always right at the polls. 
He did say that each party will have an observer at each polling
location to monitor what is going on. 
He suggests you call the party you're voting for (and I'll add that I'd
call all the parties) and find out who will be observing at your poll. 
Get that person's name and contact info and don't hesitate to use it if
you feel you need to. 

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Tracy Carcione
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2008 8:20 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] voting nightmare

I did growl back.
There aren't any lawyers hanging about my polling place, not that I know
of.  It's a small place, with only 2 machines.  Which is why they
complain--it becomes 1 machine, when they take one offline to reset it
for me.  Not that I care.  I like to be able to vote independently, even
if it takes a little extra time.

> I'd also mention it to the election folks, and the lawyers milling 
> around the polls.
> I mean, nobody would tollerate an election worker saying "Damn it, I'm

> tired of these (fit in ethnic or ratial group of your choosing) and 
> expect to get away with it.
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
> Behalf Of Tracy Carcione
> Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2008 1:43 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] voting nightmare
>
> 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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