[NFB-NM] FW: Call to Action!!!!!

[Tonia Trapp]

Tonia Trapp, secretary

National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico

nfbnewmexicosecretary at gmail.com

www.nfbnm.org

 

Live the life you want.

 

The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends
who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every day we work
together to help blind people live the lives they want.

 

From: Curtis Chong [mailto:chong.curtis at gmail.com] 
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2018 7:01 PM
To: Tonia Trapp
Subject: Call to Action!!!!!

 

Hello Tonia:

 

Would you please forward the following message to our mailing list? This is
a call to action.

 

Thank you.

 

Cordially,

 

Curtis Chong

 

________________________________________

 

Greetings fellow Federationists:

 

If you believe that people who are blind or visually impaired need a way to
mark the printed absentee ballot independently, please continue reading this
message. Your help is needed to let our Secretary of State know how much we,
the blind, support this idea.

 

You can do this by sending an email to sos.rules at state.nm.us to let the
Secretary of State know that you support the proposed rule which, among
other things, enables blind people to mark the printed absentee ballot using
the speech or low vision technology of their choice. Simply say that you
support the proposed repeal and replace of 01.10.12 NMAC - Absentee Voting.

 

If public hearings and rule making interest you, point your web browser to
this link.

 

http://www.sos.state.nm.us/Elections_Data/2018-absentee-voting-rulemaking.as
px

 

This is where you can get all of the detailed information about what is
happening to advance an effort we started some three years ago. If things go
as planned, we will, for the first time in history, right here in New
Mexico, be able to mark an absentee ballot during the June, 2018 primary
election.

 

Please read my email (shown below) which I sent out on behalf of the
National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico. I apologize for the short
notice on this (the public hearing takes place on Monday, March 19). Your
emails and letters of support are assuredly most welcome.

 

Sincerely,

 

Curtis Chong

 

________________________________________

 

From: Curtis Chong <chong.curtis at gmail.com> 

To: sos.rules at state.nm.us

Subject:           Comments From National Federation of the Blind of New
Mexico on Accessible Ballot Marking

 

Greetings:

 

The National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico is an organization of
blind and sighted men and women dedicated to the advancement of the blind or
visually impaired citizens in our state on terms of equality. We serve as a
vehicle for collective action for citizens of New Mexico who are blind or
visually impaired. Although we are not able to attend the public hearing to
be held on Monday, March 19 at the State Capitol Building, we welcome the
opportunity to express by email our support of the proposed repeal and
replace of 01.10.12 NMAC - Absentee Voting.

 

This proposed rule, implemented pursuant to the passage of HB98, is a
significant advancement for our state-in particular, those provisions which
make the printed absentee ballot accessible to voters who are blind or
visually impaired. It does this by enabling blind voters to use the speech
or low-vision technology with which they are familiar to independently mark
the printed absentee ballot.

 

In previous years, New Mexicans who are blind or visually impaired have been
able to use talking voting machines at the polls to mark their ballots in
secret. However, we have never been able to vote using a printed absentee
ballot without having to rely on the help of someone who can see, thus
negating the principle of the secret ballot-a fundamental right of our
democracy.

 

The proposed rule enables a voter who is blind or visually impaired to
receive an absentee ballot through electronic transmission. This will enable
the blind or visually impaired voter to independently mark the ballot using
the nonvisual or low vision access technology with which he or she is
familiar. In addition, instructions for marking the ballot and returning it
along with the required voter certificate will also be provided
electronically, thus enabling the blind/visually impaired voter to
independently execute all aspects of the voting process.

 

We appreciate the provision in the proposed rule which states,

 

"The secretary of state shall prescribe an official return envelope such
that the blind or visually impaired voter can distinguish it for the
purposes of returning the absentee ballot."

 

This seemingly trivial provision will provide a way for the voter who is
blind or visually impaired to know, without help from anyone, that the
envelope he or she is holding is especially intended for the return of the
absentee ballot, which the voter has been able to mark with no help from
anyone.

 

We in the National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico look forward to a
speedy implementation of the new 01.10.12 NMAC - Absentee Voting, and we
pledge to do whatever we can to work closely with the Office of the
Secretary of State to bring about this historic achievement for New Mexicans
who are blind or visually impaired.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Curtis Chong, Representative

National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico

 

 

 

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