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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> Sunday, April 29, 2018 10:36 AM<br><b>To:</b> Tonia Trapp<br><b>Subject:</b> Nonvisually-Accessible Absentee Ballot Marking<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Greetings Everyone:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I am pleased to tell you that voters in New Mexico who are blind or visually impaired can now mark their printed absentee ballots using low-vision or nonvisual access technology. This is the first time in the history of our state that the blind have been able to do this, and it all came about because of the strong partnership between the National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico and our Secretary of State, Maggie Toulouse Oliver.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Through this email, I want to provide you with the information you will need to take advantage of this historic opportunity. By now, you should already be registered to vote, and your current address should be in the system. If this is not the case, you have until May 8 to register to vote or to correct your address.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>To take advantage of this historic opportunity, you must have a working email address and a printer. The email address is needed so that you can receive a link to your personalized ballot when voting actually begins—as early as May 8. The printer is needed so that you can create paper copies of your ballot and your voter certificate, which you will mail or deliver to the county clerk.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>When you apply for the absentee ballot and also when you actually go on line to vote, you will be asked to supply three pieces of information:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>your State Identification number,<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>your Social Security number, and<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>your date of birth.<o:p></o:p></li></ul><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Here is a brief summary of how all of this is going to work.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>1. You, the blind voter, visit the state's Voter Information Portal <<a href="www.nmvote.org">www.nmvote.org</a>> to apply for an accessible absentee ballot. If everything works as it should, you should be able to do this as early as Monday, April 30.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>2. When your application has been verified and approved, the county clerk will mail you an official absentee ballot return envelope packet.<br><br>The smaller envelope in the packet—the one with the hole in it—is meant to hold your printed ballot. This prevents anyone from associating the ballot with you.<br><br>The larger envelope will hold the smaller ballot envelope and the printed voter certificate, which you will have signed and dated.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>3. When voting actually begins (as early as May 8), you will be sent via email a link to your personalized ballot along with detailed instructions for marking the ballot.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>4. Once you have marked and reviewed your ballot, you will print the ballot itself and a voter certificate. The certificate must be signed and dated. The ballot, as printed, is now ready to be inserted into its secure envelope.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in'>5. The ballot envelope and the signed certificate are inserted into the larger envelope and mailed or delivered to the county clerk.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If things go according to plan, starting on Monday, April 30, you should be able to visit the Voter Information Portal at <a href="www.nmvote.org">www.nmvote.org</a> to:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'>register to vote,<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'>update your current voter registration, and<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'>apply for an absentee ballot.<o:p></o:p></li></ul><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>During the application process, you will be asked if you require an absentee ballot that is accessible for the blind or visually impaired. If you say that you do, you will then be asked to certify the following statement:<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'>"I hereby state under penalty of perjury that the following is true and correct:<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'><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'>"I am an individual who is blind or visually impaired, and my blindness or visual impairment prevents me from being able to independently complete a standard absentee ballot;<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'><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'>"I understand and agree that this statement is made under penalty of perjury pursuant to federal law. I further understand and agree that this statement is also covered by New Mexico law which makes perjury a 4th degree felony."<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Once you have completed the application and certified blindness or visual impairment, matters will proceed as described above.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Remember that, barring any unanticipated developments, all of this should start on Monday, April 30.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please feel free to contact me directly at <a href="chong.curtis@gmail.com">chong.curtis@gmail.com</a> if any of this is either not clear or confusing. Thank you.<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<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>