[NFBP-Talk] Press Release about Voting in Pennsylvania

[Joseph Drenth]

Pennsylvania Offers Accessible Write-In Ballots for Voters with Disabilities
for June 2 Primary

 

Harrisburg, PA - Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar announced today that the
Department of State will provide accessible write-in ballots to voters with

disabilities who request one.

 

"These ballots will allow blind and low-vision voters to vote privately and
independently in Tuesday's primary," Secretary Boockvar said. "We are
committed

to increasing accessibility for voters with disabilities and implementing a
long-term solution for accessible ballots for the November election and
beyond."

 

U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson issued an order on Wednesday
mandating that the department offer an accessible write-in primary ballot
for

voters with disabilities who request one.

 

To obtain an accessible write-in ballot, an individual must:

 

. Be an eligible Pennsylvania voter who applied for an absentee or mail-in
ballot by the May 26, 2020, deadline and has not yet submitted their voted
ballot.

 

. Submit an email request to 

ra-awib at pa.gov <mailto:ra-awib at pa.gov> 

  for the accessible write-in ballot by 8 p.m. on May 29, 2020. 

Include in the email the voter's full name, date of birth and address where
registered.

 

. Complete an accessible declaration electronically sent to them by the
department and authenticate the declaration with a valid Pennsylvania
driver's

license, a valid Pennsylvania state personal identification number or the
last four digits of the voter's Social Security number. 

 

The department will electronically transmit via email to the requesting
voter: 

(1) an accessible write-in ballot; 

(2) an accessible declaration form; 

(3) accessible instructions; 

(4) an accessible candidate list for the voter's election district; and 

(5) a write-in envelope.

 

Using their screen reader software, voters with disabilities can then vote
in the privacy of their own homes, print their voted ballot and return it to

their county elections office. Their county must receive their voted ballot
by 8 p.m. on June 2.  A postmark is not sufficient.

 

MEDIA CONTACT: Wanda Murren, 717-783-1621

 

This press release can be viewed at:

https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/State-details.aspx?newsid=385

 

 

Joseph Drenth 

First Vice-President, National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania State Board of Vocational Rehabilitation

Senior R&D Software Engineer, JBT Corporation, Automated Systems Division

Cell: 215-827-7787

Email: joe.drenth at gmail.com

 

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