I would be happy to work in support of accessibility if security, privacy
and equity are ensured as well.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Charles Reichardt" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, May 16, 2004 9:21 PM
Subject: Re: Blind voters rip e-machines
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
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My name is Charles Reichardt. I am a Systems Advocate for the Catskill =
Center For Independence. CCFI is one of 37 Independent Living centers in =
the state of New York, which among many other things, advocates for the =
Civil Rights of persons with disabling conditions.
=20
I am writing to ask anyone interested to:
PLEASE JOIN ME IN MY EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE VOTING RIGHTS OF NEW YORKERS =
WITH DISABILITIES
=20
The Joint Legislative Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Conference Committee =
is meeting on Tuesday 05-18-04 to finalize legislation that will make =
voting independently a reality for persons with disabilities.
=20
New York State Independent Living Counsel (NYSILC) Position Statement:
=20
New Yorkers with disabilities must have amendments made to state =
election law in order to comply with HAVA. This language must ensure =
full access to voting machines, electronic ballots and polling sites.
=20
Voting Machines - All new voting machines must allow people with =
disabilities to vote in a "private and independent manner." The language =
must include a description of basic features required on all voting =
machines to accommodate various disabilities.
=20
In addition, every polling district must have at least one accessible =
machine and ballot and all new voting technology purchased to replace =
older machines must be accessible.
=20
Electronic Ballot - The existing law defines a ballot based on the =
assumption of a paper or printed background with black ink, which is =
inappropriate when applied to current voting technology. The definition =
must be updated to reflect what constitutes an electronic ballot with =
multi-screen capability. The language requires that all non-paper =
ballots be electronically displayed with the ability to adjust their =
font size and contrast.
=20
Polling Sites - Current waiver language must be eliminated from state =
law and require that all polling sites be accessible to people with =
disabilities across New York State.
=20
You can help by doing the following prior to Tuesday Morning 05-18-04.
=20
1) Call Senate Majority Leader Bruno's Office at (518) 455-3191 and =
deliver the following message:
=20
"I want the Majority Leader to instruct Senator Morahan to discuss =
and resolve disabled access to voting machines and polling places at the
HAVA conference committee meeting Tuesday in Albany."
=20
If asked, it is best to give them your name and home address, phone, =
zip, etc. (I am John or Jane Doe from Anytown, NY.).
=20
2) Send a combination fax and email message to the Majority Leader by
logging on to the CDR advocacy site at
http://capwiz.com/rochestercdr/state/main/?state=3DNY
=20
The message will be addressed and sent to the Majority Leader. It will =
be
cc'd to Senator Morahan, The New York Times, and the Albany Times Union.
Feel free to make your own personal changes to the content of the =
letter.
Again, it is best to enter your name and home address.
=20
I appreciate any help you might give and thank you in advance. Please =
feel free to just ignore this message and my request, if for some reason =
you feel that it is inappropriate.
=20
Charlie =20
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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">My name is Charles =
Reichardt. I=20
am a Systems Advocate for the Catskill Center For Independence. CCFI is =
one of=20
37 Independent Living centers in the state of New York, which among many =
other=20
things, advocates for the Civil Rights of persons with disabling =
conditions.</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <?xml:namespace =
prefix =3D o=20
ns =3D "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I am writing to ask =
anyone=20
interested to:</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">PLEASE JOIN ME IN MY =
EFFORTS TO=20
PROTECT THE VOTING RIGHTS OF NEW YORKERS WITH DISABILITIES</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The Joint Legislative =
Help=20
America Vote Act (HAVA) Conference Committee is meeting on Tuesday =
05-18-04 to=20
finalize legislation that will make voting independently a reality for =
persons=20
with disabilities.</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">New York State =
Independent Living=20
Counsel (NYSILC) Position Statement:</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">New Yorkers with =
disabilities=20
must have amendments made to state election law in order to comply with =
HAVA.=20
This language must ensure full access to voting machines, electronic =
ballots and=20
polling sites.</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Voting Machines - All =
new voting=20
machines must allow people with disabilities to vote in a "private and=20
independent manner." The language must include a description of basic =
features=20
required on all voting machines to accommodate various disabilities.</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">In addition, every =
polling=20
district must have at least one accessible machine and ballot and all =
new voting=20
technology purchased to replace older machines must be accessible.</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Electronic Ballot - =
The existing=20
law defines a ballot based on the assumption of a paper or printed =
background=20
with black ink, which is inappropriate when applied to current voting=20
technology. The definition must be updated to reflect what constitutes =
an=20
electronic ballot with multi-screen capability. The language requires =
that all=20
non-paper ballots be electronically displayed with the ability to adjust =
their=20
font size and contrast.</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Polling Sites - =
Current waiver=20
language must be eliminated from state law and require that all polling =
sites be=20
accessible to people with disabilities across New York State.</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">You can help by doing =
the=20
following prior to Tuesday Morning 05-18-04.</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">1) Call Senate =
Majority Leader=20
Bruno's Office at (518) 455-3191 and deliver the following message:</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>"I want the =
Majority Leader=20
to instruct Senator Morahan to discuss and resolve disabled access to =
voting=20
machines and polling places at the</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">HAVA conference =
committee meeting=20
Tuesday in Albany."</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">If asked, it is best =
to give them=20
your name and home address, phone, zip, etc. (I am John or Jane Doe from =
Anytown, NY.).</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">2) Send a combination =
fax and=20
email message to the Majority Leader by</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">logging on to the CDR =
advocacy=20
site at</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><A=20
href=3D"http://capwiz.com/rochestercdr/state/main/?state=3DNY">http://cap=
wiz.com/rochestercdr/state/main/?state=3DNY</A></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The message will be =
addressed and=20
sent to the Majority Leader. It will be</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">cc'd to Senator =
Morahan, The New=20
York Times, and the Albany Times Union.</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Feel free to make =
your own=20
personal changes to the content of the letter.</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Again, it is best to =
enter your=20
name and home address.</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I appreciate any help =
you might=20
give and thank you in advance. Please feel free to just ignore this =
message and=20
my request, if for some reason you feel that it is inappropriate.</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Charlie<SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>
------=_NextPart_000_0012_01C43B8B.C7E541C0--
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VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
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