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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hello All,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Your Help is urgently needed during this last week of the Maryland General Assembly. Please email or call, read below.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>***ACTION ALERT***<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Disability Community Help Needed!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>SB 1078: Election Law – Absentee Ballots – Internet or Facsimile Transmission<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>Please ask members of the House Ways and Means Committee to support SB 1078, which has already passed the full Senate. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>Tell them SB 1078 is an important bill for the disability community because:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>The bill permits voters with disabilities and military and overseas voters to receive their absentee ballots by email and to use an accessible online ballot marking tool to mark the ballot before printing it and mailing it in.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>The bill promotes voter independence and privacy for voters with disabilities. The online delivery and ballot marking tool will be available to a voter with disabilities if it would assist the voter to vote independently. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>The ballot marking tool would allow voters with disabilities, such as voters with a vision disability or a dexterity disability, who use accessible computer technology to mark their absentee ballot independently and privately. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>SB 1078 provides voters with disabilities who wish to vote by absentee ballot with the same voting opportunities as voters without disabilities!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>This technology is NOT online voting. It is an online absentee ballot delivery and marking system. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>SBOE has agreed to an amendment that would require the certification of the online ballot marking tool which will address any security concerns. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>SB 1078 is an important step to making the absentee ballot process accessible to voters with disabilities. Call or email your Delegate TODAY! <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>House Ways & Means Committee<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you are not able to contact all committee members, please try to contact the delegates with stars next to their names and let them know this bill will be heard in their committee on Tuesday or Wednesday and is important to the disability committee!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Name Phone County<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>*Sheila E. Hixson, Chair (410) 841-3469, (301) 858-3469 Montgomery<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Samuel I. Rosenberg, Vice-Chair (410) 841-3297, (301) 858-3297 Baltimore City<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>*Jon S. Cardin, Subcommittee Chair (410) 841-3833, (301) 858-3833 Baltimore County<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>*Kathryn L. Afzali (410) 841-3288, (301) 858-3288 Frederick <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>*Kumar P. Barve (410) 841-3464, (301) 858-3464 Montgomery<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>*Talmadge Branch (410) 841-3398, (301) 858-3398 Baltimore City <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>*Jolene Ivey (410) 841-3478, (301) 858-3478 Prince George’s <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>*LeRoy E. Myers, Jr. (410) 841-3321, (301) 858-3321 Allegany & Washington<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>*Justin D. Ross (410) 841-3652, (301) 858-3652 Prince George’s<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>*Michael G. Summers (410) 841-3340, (301) 858-3340 Prince George’s<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Joseph C. Boteler III (410) 841-3365, (301) 858-3365 Baltimore County<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Mark N. Fisher (410) 841-3231, (301) 858-3231 Calvert <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>C. William Frick (410) 841-3454, (301) 858-3454 Montgomery<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ronald A. George (410) 841-3439, (301) 858-3439 Anne Arundel<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Glen Glass (410) 841-3280, (301) 858-3280 Cecil & Harford<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Carolyn J. B. Howard (410) 841-3919, (301) 858-3919 Prince George’s <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Anne R. Kaiser (410) 841-3036, (301) 858-3036 Montgomery <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Eric G. Luedtke (410) 841-3110, (301) 858-3110 Montgomery<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Aruna Miller (410) 841-3090, (301) 858-3090 Montgomery<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Andrew A. Serafini (410) 841-3447, (301) 858-3447 Washington <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Melvin L. Stukes (410) 841-3544, (301) 858-3544 Baltimore City<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Frank S. Turner (410) 841-3246, (301) 858-3246 Howard<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jay Walker (410) 841-3581, (301) 858-3581 Prince George’s<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>*Member of the Election Law Subcommittee who will vote on the bill first.<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>Thank You!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For more information, please contact Lauren Kallins at the Maryland Disability Law Center<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>LaurenK@mdlclaw.org<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>