[nfbmi-talk] wow this was widely distributed eh?

[joe harcz Comcast]

Michigan’s Blind and Visually Impaired Reminded of Equal Access to Vote at State's Polls on Election Day

Contact:  Mario Morrow 517-373-9280

Agency: Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

 

November 1, 2012.  The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Bureau of Services for Blind Persons today reminds Michigan voters with visual disabilities

of accommodations available at the state's polling sites that ensures their equal access to vote on Election Day, Nov. 6.

 

"Our right to vote is basic to our system of democracy, which depends on all people having full and equal access to the ballot, including those who are

blind or visually impaired," said Bureau of Services for Blind Persons Director Edward F. Rodgers, II.

 

Rodgers, along with Secretary of State Ruth Johnson, wants to ensure that members of Michigan's disability community know they can cast a private and independent

vote using the same ballot as every other Michigan voter.

 

Voters with a physical disability, who are blind or visually impaired, or otherwise unable to mark a ballot in the usual way have access to the AutoMARK

Voter Assist Terminal. The AutoMARK operates like an electronic ink pen - it marks a paper ballot with the voter's choices. The ballot is then deposited

in the tabulator like all other ballots and counted using Michigan's optical scan tabulator.

 

The AutoMARK features a touch screen and a keypad marked with Braille; voters may use their personal sip-puff device, a stylus or a hand or foot paddle

to mark their ballots, and magnification and contrast features on the screen. The AutoMARK is wheelchair-accessible and is equipped with headphones with

an audio function so that voters may hear the ballot read aloud.

 

"We've removed obstacles to voting for people with special needs," said Johnson. "This technology is a great advancement for voters among Michigan's disability

community as it provides accessibility, independence and privacy in voting."

 

To ensure accessibility, federal and state laws require polling places in Michigan's cities, townships and villages provide a reasonable number of accessible

registration facilities and remove or make accommodations for any barriers that prevent voters with disabilities from voting. Doors should not be blocked,

alternatives to stairs such as ramps or elevators should be available and lighting and seating should be adequate. At least one voting station per polling

location should be adapted to allow a person to vote while seated.

 

Voters with disabilities who require assistance in casting a ballot may receive assistance from another person, provided that the person assisting the voter

is not the voter's employer, agent of that employer or an officer or agent of a union to which the voter belongs.

 

Those who require special access to the polls should call their local clerk's office ahead of time to make sure their voting site is free of obstructions.

If the precinct is not accessible, the voter will be directed to an alternative site that is accessible. Hearing impaired residents with questions may

contact the Department of State's Bureau of Elections by TTY at (517) 322-1477.

 

Voters must be residents of Michigan and registered to vote in their city, township or village. Disabled eligible voters may also vote by absentee ballot.

They must fulfill Michigan's voter identification requirement which can be met in two ways: 1) by bringing acceptable ID, such as a Michigan driver's license,

personal ID card or other current ID document; or 2) by signing an affidavit stating they are not in possession of ID. To check their registration status,

residents may visit the Michigan Voter Information Center at

www.Michigan.gov/vote.

On the website, residents can view a sample ballot, find their polling location, learn about absentee voting, get information on Michigan's voter ID laws

and view contact information for their local clerk.

 

Voters can learn more about the AutoMARK equipment by visiting the

Voting Equipment

page, or by visiting the

Michigan Voter Information Center website.

 

The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002 gave individuals with disabilities the right to participate in elections as other voters do and to cast a private

and independent ballot. In 2006, the State of Michigan received about 4,300 of the AutoMARK voting systems and associated ballot programming. Costs to

execute the $34 million contract with Election Systems & Software (ES&S) were covered under the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002. HAVA mandated

that states have a compliant accessible voting system in place for individuals with disability for federal elections beginning in 2006.

 

Secretary of State customers may call the Department of State Information Center to speak to a service representative at 888-SOS-MICH (767-6424).

 

The Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP) in the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) provides training and other services for individuals

who are blind or visually impaired to achieve employment and/or independence in the careers of their choice. For more information about BSBP, visit

www.michigan.gov/bsbp

or call toll-free: voice 1-800-292-4200; TTY 1-888-864-1212.

 

For more information about LARA, please visit

www.michigan.gov/lara

 

 

Source:

http://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154-10573_11472-289376--,00.html