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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Bonnie Lucas<br>President<br>National Federation of the Blind of Alaska<br>Cell: 907-301-6808<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Email: <a href="mailto:lucas.bonnie@gmail.com"><span style='color:#0563C1'>lucas.bonnie@gmail.com</span></a><br><br><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Web: <a href="https://alaskanfb.org/"><span style='color:#0563C1'>alaskanfb.org</span></a><a name="_Hlk16627103"><br></a><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk16627103'>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.</span><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk16627103'></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#BFBFBF'>[Delegate-BML]<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> National Federation of the Blind <webmaster@nfb.org> <br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, August 3, 2021 1:15 PM<br><b>To:</b> Bonnie Lucas <lucas.bonnie@gmail.com><br><b>Subject:</b> Blind Maryland Voters Settle Lawsuit against State Election Officials<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=600 style='width:6.25in'><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr style='height:7.5pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:#0075C9;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:7.5pt'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><img border=0 width=600 height=28 style='width:6.25in;height:.2916in' id="_x0000_i1033" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/top-blue-bar.jpg"><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr style='height:7.5pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:7.5pt'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:15.0pt 15.0pt 15.0pt 15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="nfb.org"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=240 height=264 style='width:2.5in;height:2.75in' id="_x0000_i1032" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/nfb-logo-for-email-template.jpg" alt="National Federation of the Blind logo and tagline live the life you want"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;border-color:initial'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width=600 style='width:6.25in'><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:15.0pt'><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><h1 align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='color:black'>Blind Maryland Voters Settle Lawsuit against State Election Officials</span><o:p></o:p></h1><h2 align=center style='text-align:center'><em><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>State to Take Steps to Advance Equal Rights for Blind Voters at Polling Places</span></em><o:p></o:p></h2><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Baltimore, Maryland (August 3, 2021):</span></b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> The National Federation of the Blind, its Maryland affiliate, and three blind registered Maryland voters – Marie Cobb, Ruth Sager, and Joel Zimba – have settled the <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=22468&qid=5834681">lawsuit</a> they brought two years ago against state election officials. State Elections Administrator Linda Lamone and the Maryland State Board of Elections have agreed to take several measures to address the issues raised in the lawsuit, including the following among others:</span><o:p></o:p></p><ul type=disc><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>The state elections administrator will take specific steps to ensure that additional ballot-marking devices (BMDs) are available at the individual plaintiffs’ assigned polling locations, at other voting locations where there have been issues in past elections or where securing a replacement BMD may take longer, and at all early voting or election day voting centers if such centers are used.</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>The training materials issued to election judges by the state will instruct them to ensure that at least ten voters at each polling location use BMDs, and election judges at polling places that do not meet this requirement will be subject to additional monitoring and training.</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>In the Board’s next request for proposals for a new voting system, the State Administrator will include the capability for the BMD to produce a ballot substantially similar in size, shape, and content to hand-marked paper ballots as a factor in the determination of which voting system to purchase or lease.</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>The Board will not discourage the use of BMDs or encourage the use of hand-marked paper ballots to the exclusion of BMDs in formal messaging to the public or in training and other messaging to election judges, except in certain circumstances such as long wait times, malfunctioning equipment or software, or security threats affecting BMDs.</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>The state administrator will provide the National Federation of the Blind with data about the use of BMDs, and about complaints by voters with disabilities regarding BMDs or their functioning and availability, for each election through 2024.</span><o:p></o:p></li></ul><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Subject to approval by the Maryland Board of Public Works, the state will also pay $230,000 in attorney’s fees and costs.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>“After almost five years of advocacy, litigation, and negotiation, we are hopeful that this settlement represents the first steps on a path to true equality for Maryland’s blind and disabled voters,” said Ronza Othman, a civil rights attorney and president of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland. “Ultimately, Maryland must completely eliminate its segregated voting system for blind and disabled voters, and we will continue to work toward that goal even as we celebrate the progress represented by this agreement.”</span><o:p></o:p></p><p align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>###</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><h2><span style='font-size:20.0pt;color:black'>About the National Federation of the Blind</span><o:p></o:p></h2><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in Baltimore, defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information and support to families with blind children, older Americans who are losing vision, and more. Founded in 1940, the NFB is the transformative membership and advocacy organization of blind Americans with affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. We believe in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to transform them into reality. Learn more about our many programs and initiatives at <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=22469&qid=5834681">nfb.org</a>.</span><o:p></o:p></p><h3><span style='font-size:17.0pt;color:black'>CONTACT:</span><o:p></o:p></h3><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Chris Danielsen<br>Director of Public Relations<br>National Federation of the Blind<br>(410) 659-9314, extension 2330<br>(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<br><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=22470&qid=5834681">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a></span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr style='height:6.0pt'><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:6.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;display:none'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=600 style='width:6.25in;background:#002F6D'><tr style='height:45.0pt'><td width=135 style='width:101.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'></td><td width=55 style='width:41.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:white'><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=22471&qid=5834681"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=50 height=35 style='width:.5208in;height:.3645in' id="_x0000_i1031" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-facebook-ms.png" alt="Facebook Logo"></span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=55 style='width:41.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:white'><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=22472&qid=5834681"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=50 height=35 style='width:.5208in;height:.3645in' id="_x0000_i1030" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-twitter-ms.png" alt="Twitter Logo"></span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=55 style='width:41.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:white'><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=22473&qid=5834681"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=50 height=35 style='width:.5208in;height:.3645in' id="_x0000_i1029" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-instagram-ms.png" alt="Instagram Logo"></span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=55 style='width:41.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:white'><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=22474&qid=5834681"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=51 height=35 style='width:.5312in;height:.3645in' id="_x0000_i1028" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-youtube-ms.png" alt="YouTube Logo"></span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=55 style='width:41.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:white'><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=22475&qid=5834681"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=50 height=35 style='width:.5208in;height:.3645in' id="_x0000_i1027" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-email-ms.png" alt="Email Icon Image"></span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=55 style='width:41.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:white'><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=22476&qid=5834681"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=50 height=35 style='width:.5208in;height:.3645in' id="_x0000_i1026" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-donte-ms.png" alt="Donate to the NFB Icon."></span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=135 style='width:101.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'></td></tr><tr style='height:18.75pt'><td colspan=8 style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:18.75pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white'>National Federation of the Blind | 200 E Wells Street | Baltimore, MD 21230 | 410-659-9314 <o:p></o:p></span></b></p></td></tr><tr style='height:18.75pt'><td colspan=8 style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:18.75pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white'><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/unsubscribe?reset=1&jid=17417&qid=5834681&h=3fad2a1adef71d6d" title=Unsubscribe><span style='color:white'>Unsubscribe</span></a> | <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/optout?reset=1&jid=17417&qid=5834681&h=3fad2a1adef71d6d" title="Opt Out"><span style='color:white'>Opt Out</span></a> | <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=22477&qid=5834681" title="Sign up for email newsletter"><span style='color:white'>Sign Up for Our E-newsletter</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan=8 style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span class=street-address><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white'>200 East Wells St.</span></b></span><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white'><br><span class=locality>Baltimore</span><span class=adr>, </span><span class=postal-code>21230</span><br><span class=country-name>United States</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white'>.. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p></td></tr></table></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/msv5/images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1" alt="Web Bug from https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/open?qid=5834681" /></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>