I was so moved I wrote Ms. Topfer the following,
"Dear Ms. Topfer,

"I am a 49-year old blind American.  As the first blind Eagle Scout from a sighted troop, and as the eldest son of a proud
Air Force Master Sergeant, and a person who knew his country would deny him the privelege of serving in her military to
help bring his friends home quicker from Vietnam, I yearned for my first opportunity to vote in 1972, and have rarely
missed even a local election since.

However, I have been angered and embarrassed by the difficulties and lack of privacy I have encountered while at the
polls as well meaning but ill-trained Elections Workers struggled and fumbled their way through the process of assisting
me in casting my vote; and I have deeply resented the lack of privacy in this process.  My first wife, Margie, who died on
February 10th, 1999 (we were married on 03-22-75--I proposed to her the first day we met 08-30-73) and I often went to
the polls together.  Both had grown up in politically inclined households, I always interested, and she disengaged until I
showed her the light...  (grin)  However, because of divergent religious perspectives, we often voted on opposite  sides
of a variety of issues!  We very much disliked the fact that as blind people, both of us were placed in a position of
hearing each other's votes, and so did those around us.

As a citizen and tax payer, I very much encourage you to do everything you can to assist us in obtaining our full
birthright, as American Citizens who happen to have a Disability which restricts us from utilizing current voting
technologies independently, to insure that we obtain those rights and opportunities.

Yours Respectfully

Walter Nick Dotson/Proprietor of Dots-On Enterprises"


On Mon, 16 Jul 2001 14:42:31 +0900, Catherine Alfieri wrote:

An excellent opportunity for all to give input...

The National Commission on Federal Election Reform is about to release its
Report.  To make sure one of the recommendations is mandatory (NOT
voluntary) access, go to http://www.reformelections.org and express
yourself.

For additional information on election reform/voter access activities,
contact Adina Topfer, [log in to unmask], 202-955-6114, at the AAPD
Disability Vote Project.