[NFBV-Announce] Using the Accessible Remote Ballot Marking Tool to Vote in the November Election

Tue Oct 13 13:21:37 UTC 2020

From tracy Soforenko,  President
>  
>  
> Today is a key day in the election process.
>  
> I.                     Register To Vote by October 13
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> If you are not registered to vote in Virginia, today is the last day to register to vote.
> You can register to vote at the Virginia Board of Elections Citizen Portal found at:
>  
> www.elections.virginia.gov
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> II.                   Make a Plan to vote 
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> Based on our advocacy and recent changes to Virginia voting laws, you now have more options for voting.
> Vote absentee using a mail in ballot. Using the same Virginia Citizen Portal, registered voters can request an absentee ballot. When you complete this multi-step totally accessible web based process, one of the last steps is the contact page. On this page, you should mark the check box stating “Need assistance because you are disabled, blind or unable to read or write.”
> If you  take no further action, you will be sent an envelope with a print ballot that you will have to fill out with someone you trust who will help you mark your ballot on paper.
> However, if you have access to a computer and access to a working printer, you could use the completely accessible remote ballot marking tool called My Ballot from the Virginia Board of Elections and Voting Works to mark your ballot privately and independently and print out your vote. Admittedly, this process does require you to take some effort and contact your register to request access to the Remote Ballot Marking Tool. This is a new tool and many registrars are honestly not aware. They received the attached guidance from the Virginia Board of Elections on Friday (10/9) which walks them through the process and you should feel free to forward the guidance to them.  Note, you may have to follow up with your registrar a few times because until someone requests an accessible ballot, the local registrars do not request the set up of the ballot in the My Ballot solution. On October 9, they were told they could take proactive action but registrars are pretty busy and will probably wait until someone asks. A few jurisdictions have completed the process and are ready but most just are not. If you are the first blind voter in your jurisdiction  to ask, you might have a few days of delay as the ballot is being set up in the My Ballot solution.
> If you want more information on the My Ballot solution, you  can attend an information session held by Voting Works in partnership with the American  Council of  the Blind on Wednesday, October 14 at 6:00 PM ET . Details are found towards the bottom of this message.
> Vote Early in person using the accessible ballot marking equipment within your jurisdiction or at your polling place on election day. This option is certainly available to you and you should feel free to vote in this manner. Through our partnership with Lyft, we have special coupon codes for $20 to help you get to a polling place from October 15 to Election Day on November 3. Please reach out to Sarah Patnaude for details on the special code with Lyft. Sarah can be reached by email at Sarah Patnaude <patnaude.sarah at yahoo.com>
>  
> some links and phone numbers regarding the election.  We  suggest if you have questions start with your local registrar.  If that does not work contact the Virginia Department of Elections.  See below.
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> Virginia Board of Elections Citizen Portal:
> www.elections.virginia.gov
>  
>  
> Phone Number: 804-864-8901
> Toll Free: 800-552-9745
> Email: info at elections.virginia.gov
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> Find local registrar information: www.elections.virginia.gov/localgr
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> John Halverson and Christine Grassman provided information on  five local registrars in Northern Virginia .
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> Alexandria City Registrar: Angela Maniglia Turner
> Address: 132 North Royal ST, STE 100, Alexandria, VA22314
> Phone: 703-746-4050
> Email: voters at alexandriava.gov
> url: http:www.alexandriavoter.org
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> Arlington County Registrar: Gretchen Reinemeyer 
> 2100 Clarendon BLVD, STE 320, Arlington, VA 22201
> Phone: 703-228-3456
> Email: voters at arlingtonva.us
> URL: http://vote.arlingtonva.us
>  
> Fairfax City Registrar: Brenda Cabrera
> Address: 10455 Armstrong ST, Fairfax, VA 22030
> Phone: 703-385-7890
> Email: registrar at fairfax.gov
> URL: http://www.fairfaxva.gov/vote
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> Fairfax County Office of Elections, Registrar: Gary Scott
> Address: 12000 Government Center PKWY STE323, Fairfax, VA 22035
> Mailing Address: PO Box 10164, Fairfax, VA22038
> Phone: 703-222-0776
> Email: voting at fairfaxcounty.gov
> URL: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/elections
>  
> Falls Church Registrar: David Bjerke
> Address: 300 Park Ave, Room 206, Falls Church, VA 22046
> Phone: 703-248-5085
> Email: vote at fallschurchva.gov
> URL: http://www.fallschurchva.gov/vote
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>  
> Finally, details on the Wednesday, October 14 Voting Works Demonstration are provided below by Sam Joel, President of the American Council of the Blind of Virginia
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> Accessible Voting with Voting Works: 6pm ET, 3pm PT, 12pm HT
> As you develop your plan for how to vote in the general election, join ACB for a conversation on accessible absentee voting with election vender Voting Works. Voting Works will answer your questions and demonstrate the My Ballot accessible absentee voting solution, which is being deployed in Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Virginia.
> Join the webinar:
> https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87495493107?pwd=bi9jeWtjNGs1U1FSTEg4U3VjVkduUT09
> One tap mobile: +13126266799,,87495493107#
> Phone: 312-626-6799
> Passcode: 855662
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>  
> We are grateful that ACB has arranged for this demonstration of the Voting Works solution.
>  
> Tracy Soforenko
> President, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia
> 202 285-4595
> Tracy.soforenko at gmail.com
> www.nfb.org
> www.nfbv.org
> National Federation of the Blind. Live the Life You Want
> The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.
>  

Sarah Patnaude
Corresponding Secretary, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia
patnaude.sarah at yahoo.com
(804) 591-6153
www.nfb.org
www.nfbv.org
Follow us on Twitter @NFBVirginia
Find us on Facebook @NationalFederationoftheBlindofVirginia

Live the life you want.

The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.

>  
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