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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Tonia Trapp, secretary<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>nfbnewmexicosecretary@gmail.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>www.nfbnm.org<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Live the life you want.</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>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.</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Curtis Chong [mailto:chong.curtis@gmail.com] <br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, March 15, 2018 7:01 PM<br><b>To:</b> Tonia Trapp<br><b>Subject:</b> Call to Action!!!!!<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hello Tonia:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Would you please forward the following message to our mailing list? This is a call to action.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Cordially,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Curtis Chong<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Greetings fellow Federationists:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>You can do this by sending an email to <a href="sos.rules@state.nm.us">sos.rules@state.nm.us</a> 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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If public hearings and rule making interest you, point your web browser to this link.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.sos.state.nm.us/Elections_Data/2018-absentee-voting-rulemaking.aspx">http://www.sos.state.nm.us/Elections_Data/2018-absentee-voting-rulemaking.aspx</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Curtis Chong<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>From: Curtis Chong <chong.curtis@gmail.com> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>To: sos.rules@state.nm.us<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-1.0in'>Subject: Comments From National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico on Accessible Ballot Marking<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Greetings:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We appreciate the provision in the proposed rule which states,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:.5in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'>"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."<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Yours sincerely,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Curtis Chong, Representative<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>