[New-york-news] FW: tomorrow's NFB-NY BOE hearing

[president at nfbny.org]

** PLEASE SHARE FAR AND WIDE **

 

Dear supporter - 

 

Voting is the cornerstone of democracy, but right now blind people in New York face barriers to voter registration and information because pages and forms on New York state websites are inaccessible to them. 

 

We’re heading to court for an important hearing on Tuesday, December 19 to demand a long-term solution and we need your help: we’re currently at risk of the judge thinking this is a just a minor issue and that only disability rights attorneys are paying attention. 

 

We need local supporters to fill the courtroom so that the judge can see that access barriers are a major concern to New Yorkers. Will you join us in court on Tuesday, December 19 to show the judge and opposing counsel that the people of New York are standing up for voters with disabilities?

 

What: Critical hearing in the Eason v. NY State Board of Elections and DMV case

When: Tuesday, January 19 at 1:30 p.m Eastern
Where: Courthouse for the Southern District at 500 Pearl St, New York, NY 10007, Courtroom: 23B

RSVP: Click here <https://business.facebook.com/events/1902319333152070/> .

 

For more than a year, a coalition of disability rights advocates has been fighting in court to push New York to implement real and lasting changes to ensure accessible voter websites for Blind people.  We have been through months and years of people with disabilities pointing out barriers, and the Board of Elections ignoring them, fixing them incorrectly, or making a quick fix that then reverts to being inaccessible.  We need the judge to know we are fed up!  We need real solutions that will last.  We need the court to ensure that online voter registration and information is always accessible to people with disabilities.

 

The judge could issue a ruling shortly after the hearing on the 19th. A decision in our favor would go a long way toward increasing accessibility in New York and setting the stage for improvements across the country.  We’re close to what we hope will be an important victory for disability rights and voting rights. Now we need your help. We need to show the support for a democracy for all, not just some, and we cannot allow the state to persuade the judge that our claims do not deserve attention. 

 

Thank you for spreading the word and showing up.


Interested in more background information?  <https://www.aclu.org/video/i-want-vote-so-why-new-york-making-it-so-hard-people-disabilities> View a video of about the plaintiff in the lawsuit, Eva Eason, and the challenges to voting for blind and low-vision people in New York.



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