EAC - Voluntary Voting System Guidelines

Name : | Alene Haskell
Organization : | Husch & Eppenberger, LLC
Post Date : | 9/7/2005
General Comments
Comment : | To the EAC: Comments on the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines My particular interest in the System Guidelines relates to accessibility to individuals with disabilities. It should be considered that, since the Rehabilitation Act, any entity receiving federal funds has had the duty to make program accessibility, including voting, a reality. Although the guidelines are voluntary, entities holding elections must initiate some form of accessibility for individuals with disabilities to exercise their right to vote. Compliance in the past has, so far as I can tell, been limited to the absentee ballot. My perspective on this issue comes from having an 18-year-old daughter with cerebral palsy, including vision limitations. She uses a walker or wheelchair and cannot drive. One of the issues that should be considered is transportation of individuals whose disabilities preclude their driving to the polls. In addition, poll workers should receive some training in how to assist individuals with disabilities and appropriate etiquette in communication to and about those individuals. A great help to many whose vision impairs reading would be a photograph of each candidate. That form of visual input, in combination with the printed and spoken word, would be an improvement.