National Federation of the Blind of Alabama
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The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the nations largest consumer advocate organization of blind
people, is announcing it's campaign for voting accessibility in Alabama for people who are blind or who
have impaired vision. "Microchip and digital technology will undoubtedly change the way Americans vote. States are updating their antiquated voting machines with electronic voting systems and voting independently is a fundamental bench mark of our society. The NFB of Alabama is committed to insuring that blind citizens get to exercise an independent choice in the voting system," says J. Michael Jones, President of the NFB of Alabama. Individual states develop and apply their own standards to approve or certify voting systems used in local jurisdictions. The needs of blind voters are rarely considered during this process. As a result, virtually all electronic voting technology is unusable by as many as eight million people who are blind or cannot see a print ballot. "Voter assistance has been the only alternative for blind voters in the era of the paper ballot and mechanical voting machines. It is still a valid voting method. However, it does not allow blind people to cast a secret ballot or independently confirm their vote," says Gayle Crume, Voting Accessibility Project Coordinator. Crume says that the NFB has received excellent cooperation from Secretary of State, Jim Bennett, and Probate Judge, Albert Booth. "We have been invited by the Board of Elections to represent our need for universal nonvisual access to voting." According to the National Center on Policy Analysis, low voter turnout is primarily due to inconvenient voting procedures. Confirming this, an Ohio study pointed to "intimidating" voting methods as a significant reason why people don't vote. For blind people these factors are compounded by voting systems which are not only inconvenient but unusable. "Inaccessible voting systems discourage blind voters from exercising the most fundamental right of citizenship, the right to vote, " Crume says. Modern technologies (such as synthesized speech and speech-activated software) allow electronic information to be accessed through visual and nonvisual means. Using these technologies, blind people would be able to vote privately and independently. "Nonvisual-Access extends the convenience and benefits of electronic voting systems to sighted and blind voters alike" says Jones. The Federation is calling upon the Secretary of State and the Board of Elections to adopt "nonvisual access standards" as a priority in selecting electronic voting machines.
For more information contact:
J. Michael Jones, President, NFB of Alabama, P.O.Box 20463 Montgomery, Al 36120 (334) 501-2001 http://www.nfbofalabama.org THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND. IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR THEMSELVES National Office - 1800 Johnson Street - Baltimore, Maryland 21230 NFB Net BBS: (612) 869-4599 - Home Page: http://www.nfb.org
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