[NFBF-L] Accessible Vote By Mail Letter

[Tekesha Saffold]

Thanks,

Tekesha Saffold

President of the National Federation of the Blind of Palm Beach 
Consumer Advocate and Consultant of the Palm Beaches 

> On Aug 19, 2020, at 2:29 PM, Camille Tate via NFBF-L <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Greetings Federationists: 
> 
> 
> 
> Last night we held our NFB 411 Legislative Call. Thanks to all who attended
> to hear Lou Ann Blake and Jeff Keloc from our National Office. In light of
> the recent settlement over accessible Vote By Mail, we have prepared a
> letter for each of our members to use when contacting their local Supervisor
> of Elections. I have pasted the letter template into the body of this email
> and have also attached it to this message. 
> 
> 
> 
> Our plan is for all of us to email, mail or drop off this letter to our
> Supervisors of Elections. Feel free to do it in each of these ways. It is
> vitally important that our voices be heard regarding our right to vote
> privately and independently. If you do not know how to get in touch with
> your Supervisor of Elections, please reach out to me, using the information
> below in my signature. 
> 
> 
> 
> Let's go fight for our right to vote privately and independently! 
> 
> 
> 
> Warmly,
> 
> Camille Tate
> 
> Dear Supervisor of Elections: 
> 
> 
> 
> My name is [insert name]. I am a member of the [insert name of chapter] of
> the National Federation of the Blind of Florida. We are a proud member of
> the National Federation of the Blind, the nation's oldest and largest
> organization of the blind. I am an eligible voter in [name of county], and I
> am writing to you regarding the lack of an accessible way for me and other
> voters with print disabilities in this county to Vote absentee. I strongly
> urge you to rectify this inequity by implementing an electronic ballot
> delivery system for the November 3, 2020 general election.
> 
> 
> 
> The COVID-19 pandemic has raised great concerns regarding the safety of
> voting at a polling precinct. Without an accessible way to mark an absentee
> ballot, blind voters and other voters with print disabilities are forced to
> choose between risking their health by voting at a polling place, giving up
> their right to a secret ballot by telling their choices to a friend or
> family member and trusting that person to mark the inaccessible paper ballot
> as instructed, or not voting at all. Forcing a blind voter to make this
> choice does not meet the requirement of the Americans with Disabilities Act
> (ADA) that voters with disabilities be provided an opportunity to vote
> privately and independently that is equal to the opportunity provided to
> voters without disabilities. 
> 
> 
> 
> Florida has recently certified Democracy Live as a platform for electronic
> ballot delivery. Electronic ballot delivery systems enable blind voters to
> mark an absentee ballot privately and independently using a computer
> equipped with assistive technology, such as a screen reader, screen
> magnification, or a refreshable Braille display. Once a voter has marked
> their ballot, it can either be printed by the voter and sent by regular
> mail, or dropped off at the Supervisor of Elections' office. Because many
> voters do not have ready access to a printer, electronic ballot delivery
> systems can also offer the option to download the ballot and email it as an
> attachment to the Supervisor's office. 
> 
> 
> 
> The right to cast a private and independent vote is a cornerstone of our
> democracy. Therefore, I strongly urge your office to procure an electronic
> ballot delivery system in time for the 2020 general election so that I, as a
> blind voter, may cast my absentee ballot privately and independently, as
> required by the ADA. Voters with print disabilities should not have to
> choose between risking our health to vote at a polling place, giving up our
> right to a secret ballot by having someone mark a paper absentee ballot for
> us, or not voting at all. The implementation of an electronic ballot
> delivery system that is accessible to the blind and print disabled allows us
> to continue to exercise our right as blind voters to vote and is a way to
> remain safe and healthy.  
> 
> 
> 
> I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to discussing
> this issue with you. Please feel free to contact me to discuss this vitally
> important matter. 
> 
> 
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sincerely, 
> 
> 
> 
> Camille Tate 
> 
> President, Melbourne Space Coast Chapter, National Federation of the Blind,
> FL 
> 
> Board of Directors, National Federation of the Blind, FL 
> 
> Email: ctate2076 at att.net <mailto:ctate2076 at att.net>  
> 
> Phone: 321 372 4899 
> 
> 
> 
> <NFB of Florida Vote-By-Mail Letter Template Final.docx>
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