EAC - Voluntary Voting System Guidelines

Name : | Ann Guerra
Organization : | FREED
Post Date : | 9/29/2005
Section Comments
Section : | 2.2.7.1.3.5
Page no. : | 2-24
Line no.: | 2
Comment : | Standard 2.2.7.1.3.5- If the normal procedure is for voters to submit their own ballot, then the voting process should provide features that enable voters who lack fine motor control or the use of their hands to perform this submission. (Page 2-24, line 2) Recommendation: Change "should" to "shall". (Note: Standard 2.2.7.1.2.2.5 is a "shall" for blind voters when the normal procedure is for voters to submit their own ballot. It needs to be a "shall" for voters who lack fine motor skills or the use of their hands and for blind voters.) The EAC needs to reflect the mandates of Help America Vote Act (HAVA) for a private and independent vote for people with disabilities. By doing so, the vendors of voting systems will be required to make those systems fully accessible. If the EAC does not make very strong accessibility requirements to ensure equality for poeple who are blind and people with physical disabilities, vendors will not do it and voters with disabilities will continue to be discriminated against in their right to vote. We are looking to the EAC to protect the right to a private and independent vote for all voters regardless of disability, as mandated by the Help America Vote Act.