Listen to the Handicapped Voter...
Hello all: Please read the following and learn from those who know. May I suggest that we refrain from patronizing any group of voters and allow other educated voices to be clearly heard?
Thank you to Suzanne for her input.
Solidarity,
Patricia Axelrod
Reno, Nevada
Suzanne wrote:
RE: [ei] DRE use for the Handicapped Voter
Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2007
Patricia, Thanks for your support. Why should I have to use a machine just because some other people with disabilities want to use them? Aside from general discrimination, limited access to information at all levels, is the largest problem we confront every day.
Therefore, before determining whether machines are truly a good way for people with disabilities to vote, it's important for all of us to know everything about the consequences of using DRE's before making collective decisions.
People might be swayed by some people in the disability movement who may have "interesting agendas". Perhaps rather then asking whether people with disabilities want to use specific pieces of equipment, etc., the question should be "what characteristics make a voting system accessible?" Then, perhaps those who are good at that sort of thing could develop a system that not only enables as many people to vote privately and independently as possible, but also meets our standards of verifiability as well. > I think that tactile ballot marking alternatives such as the Vote-PAD and Equalivote already do that, but because of the bad press, many people with disabilities have not actually seen them so they really can't reach informed opinions concerning them.
By the way, Noel Runyan and I will be guests on Mary Ann Gould's "Voice of the Voters" radio show tomorrow night (Wednesday) at 8:00 eastern on www.wnjc1360.com or WNJC 1360 AM. We will discuss his report as well as our experiences using different DRE's, he using Sequoia and I using the Danaher. Mary Ann is a great interviewer and the show promises to be most informative as Noel is a great speaker. Don't forget to listen!
Suzanne Erb
