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[print] Disabled voters and organizations using or evaluating accessible and
verifiable voting technology have responded as follows:
American
Council of the Blind: Resolution 2005-16 – Accessible Voter Verified Paper
Audit Trails
“…WHEREAS, a VVPAT would
increase voter confidence in the election process, and
WHEREAS,
some states have and others may adopt a VVPAT for use in conjunction with
their DRE election systems, and
WHEREAS,
the American Council of the Blind supports the adoption of specific election
systems and procedures only if they are accessible to voters who are blind,
visually impaired or have other disabilities,
NOW
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the American Council of the Blind in convention
assembled this 8th day of July 2005 at the Riviera Hotel in Las
Vegas, Nevada, that this organization authorize the Officers, Directors, and
staff to take all necessary actions to ensure the accessibility of voting
equipment and procedures including a VVPAT, wherever adopted, and
BE IT
FURTHER RESOLVED that the American Council of the Blind does not support any
legislation that would delay the deadline set forth in the Help America Vote
Act.”
Arizona Voter Casts Ballot Independently
for the First Time
Following the election, a story in the Arizona Republic
described an emotional moment when one Phoenix
resident, a 39-year-old disabled man, was able to cast his ballot
independently. This particular voter called it a proud first for both himself
and the state and said through a letter board and head wand that it was an
experience he would tell his grandchildren about many years from now.
Reflecting on the experience, Secretary of State Jan Brewer said, “That is an
awesome testimonial to the empowerment we can provide through new voting
solutions, like the ES&S AutoMARK. I am very proud of the fact that Arizona is leading the
nation in making the election process easier and more accessible for all of
our voters.”
Press
release, Arizona Secretary of State November 16, 2004 Contact: Kevin Tyne at
602-542-0681.
Christine Galindo Walsh,
National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems (NAPAS)
“There are a
number of machines on the market, none of which fully meets the needs of all
persons in the disability community. Some offer better accessibility features
than others. NAPAS does not disagree with all of the criticism of the
AutoMARK machine, but is concerned that a campaign has been waged against the
AutoMARK machine in particular, even though most of the other machines on the
market are significantly less accessible to voters with dexterity
disabilities. Only three voting systems on the market—AccuPoll, AutoMARK, and
eSlate machines—have a dual switch input option.
…It is difficult to understand why the AutoMARK machine in particular has
become the focus of such intense criticism when other machines provide far
less accessibility or no accessibility at all for individuals with dexterity
impairments. Georgia, Maryland and Washington,
D.C., for example, have been
praised by some AutoMARK critics for the accessibility of their voting
systems, even though their machines are inaccessible to voters with dexterity
disabilities because they lack a dual switch input option… that AutoMARK and
some other machines provide. On the other hand, jurisdictions that opt for
AutoMARK, with the support of disability advocates in their states, have been
threatened with suit.”
July
12, 2005 http://www.verifiedvotingfoundation.org/article.php?id=6119
Curtis Chong, President,
National Federation of the Blind in Computer Science:
"ES&S AutoMARK system provides
nonvisual access to the voting process, and I would highly recommend its use
in all elections: local, state, and national."
Letter
dated March 12, 2005, http://www.automarkts.com
Gregg Vanderheiden,
Director, TRACE Research and Development
Center at the College
of Engineering, University of Wisconsin:
"Voter verifiability does not need to
be inaccessible. Accessibility does not need to reduce vote verifiability.
Ballot marking devices present a good solution."
Accessible
Voting Interactive Web Conference on May 12, 2005
AccuPoll System Scores
High Marks for Accessibility
TUSTIN, Calif. May 3, 2005. -- AccuPoll, Inc. … announced that
their voting system received rave reviews during recent demonstrations at the
New Jersey Library of the Blind and Handicapped. The event, which included
competing vendors of electronic voting systems, was held to provide the
opportunity for people with disabilities to learn about and evaluate features
allowing many to vote unassisted for the first time.
AccuPoll’s system received overwhelmingly
high ratings, with a vast majority of those who evaluated the electronic
voting system providing either “very good” or “excellent” marks. Evaluators
also responded favorably to AccuPoll’s voter verified paper audit trial,
which allows voters with visual impairments to audibly review the permanent
paper audit trail as their ballot is cast.
Jim McCarthy, Director of Governmental Affairs, National Federation of
the Blind:
At the demo, Jim
pointed out that "the Holt bill clarifies that the entire process,
including verification, must be accessible" and noted that the NFB recently passed a resolution saying
that accessibility and auditability are both important. He then noted the
number of vendors who were demonstrating accessible paper trail equipment at
the event, and said "it IS possible to provide the certainty of a
voter-verified paper trail AND access at the same time -- this is a huge
advance."
NFB-NJ,
New Jersey Library for the Blind and Handicapped, and NJ Division of
Elections, April 23, 2005, Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Panel Discussion
& Accessible and Auditable Voting Systems Display
David Dixon, President of
the Handicapped Adults of Volusia County
(HAVOC) and a member of Florida Fair Elections Coalition, is blind and is
also a passionate proponent of verified voting. At a recent HAVOC meeting,
the 22 members in attendance voted unanimously to oppose the touch-screen
machines, thereby muting the argument that such opposition goes against the
rights of the disabled. "I want to know that my vote counts," Dixon said at the
Council meeting.
Report from Florida
Fair Elections' Executive Director, Susan Pynchon, June 6, 2005
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