[NFBMT] Voting Problems

[BRUCE&JOY BRESLAUER]

I am hesitant to mail back an absentee ballot.  I don't trust the mail once
it leaves my mailbox, especially with something that important.  That's why I
du autobanking and I take my absentee ballot down to the elections office
rather than mailing it.  If we could guarantee the safety and efficiency of
online voting, that would be wonderful for those of us who use computers.
Not everybody does, though, and we would need something that works for them,
too.  I know there are public computers available, but I am not sure I would
want to vote from one.  Joy

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBMT <nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Rik James via NFBMT
Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2020 4:21 PM
To: 'NFB of Montana Discussion List' <nfbmt at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Rik James <rixmix2009 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NFBMT] Voting Problems

I used the absentee mail ballot to vote.
Yes, with family sighted assistance.
For reasons beyond purposes of accessibility, I just am feeling currently
like a mail ballot is a better trusted way.
The alternate  method,  as it has been described, seemed problematic.
Although I did not pursue it with energy.

Still, I hope that you were able to get a ballot cast in some fashion, Jim.
Rik James

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBMT <nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of president--- via NFBMT
Sent: Tuesday, June 9, 2020 3:52 PM
To: 'NFB of Montana Discussion List' <nfbmt at nfbnet.org>
Cc: president at nfbofmt.org
Subject: [NFBMT] Voting Problems

Hi All,

Did anyone vote in the most recent primary election using the Secretary of
State's (SOS) electronic balloting system?  That system allows voters with
disabilities to request and get an electronic ballot in a writable PDF file
that can be completed independently with computer assistive technology,
printed, and mailed to the local election office.

I tried, but I did not get the code and link to the PDF.  I have no idea what
went wrong, but I completed all the steps required to vote this way.  I was
supposed to get an e-mail back from my county election office.  I never got
that e-mail.  I am going to file a complaint about this and see how to
prevent a repeat of the error, which I believe was a mistake or flaw in the
system and not something I did wrong.

It sure would be great to hear if others were successful or not with this
process.  BTW, it was hard to find and complete the steps necessary to vote
this way.  For some reason, most of the directions were in PDF files rather
than the easier-to-use HTML format of webpages.  The SOS says the method is
hardly used, and now I think there is a very good reason why most Montanans
with disabilities don't use this alternative voting system.  I gave it my
best shot, and it failed utterly.  We need to make voting this way a real
option, including changing things so that we do not have to print anything.

Please get back to me on this list or privately.  Thanks much!



Jim Marks
President
National Federation of the Blind of Montana president at nfbofmt.org
(406) 438-1421
www.nfbofmt.org

You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.



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