[Nfbmt] National Federation of the Blind Applauds Affirmation of Ruling on Access to Absentee Ballots

[Breslauers]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
cdanielsen at nfb.org


National Federation of the Blind Applauds Affirmation of Ruling on Access to
Absentee Ballots


 

Baltimore, Maryland (February 9, 2016): The National Federation of the Blind,
the nation's leading advocate for equal access to voting by the blind, today
applauded a ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth
Judicial Circuit. The ruling in National Federation of the Blind et al. vs.
Linda H. Lamone et al. upheld a lower court ruling
<https://nfb.org/national-federation-blind-applauds-ruling-access-absentee-ba
llots>  requiring the state of Maryland to make an accessible online
ballot-marking tool available to blind voters who wished to vote by absentee
ballot.

Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said:
"The right to vote is a fundamental one, and equal access to this right
cannot and must not be denied to blind Americans. Today's ruling affirms that
blind voters must have equal access to all methods of voting that are
generally available to other voters, and that equal access means the ability
to mark and cast our ballots privately and independently, without being
forced to rely on assistance from others. This historic ruling protects the
rights of the blind voters of Maryland, and sets the stage for full and equal
access to voting by blind people across the nation."

 

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About the National Federation of the Blind 

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.



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