FW: Testimony Request RE Voting Accessibility

["Ed Dodds" <dodds@e-dodds.com>]

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-justice@jfanow.org [mailto:owner-justice@jfanow.org]On
Behalf Of Justice For All Moderator
Sent: Monday, May 31, 2004 11:52 PM
To: justice@jfanow.org
Subject: Testimony Request RE Voting Accessibility


"Testimony Request RE Voting Accessibility"

Angela Katsakis of AAPD's Disability Vote Project 
<aapdvote@earthlink.net> writes: 

If you've had problems with inaccessible voting systems or 
have been hassled at the polls, then the Election 
Administration Commission wants to know (see the 
announcement that follows). If you've had problems with 
punch cards, optical scans and lever machines, describe 
them in your testimony. Submit testimony by June 4, 2004, 
to testimony@eac.gov or to the Election Administration 
Commission, 1225 New York Avenue, Suite 1100, Washington, 
DC, 20005. Remember to include your contact information.
 
Kelly Anthony, Director of the Missouri Disability Vote 
Coalition, is testifying for the Election Assistance 
Commission to discuss the impact of the provisional ballot 
on people with disabilities. The hearing is open to the 
public and the notice is posted below and attached.
 
BACKGROUND:

This November, only about 8% of the nation will be voting 
on accessible voting systems. Most Americans will vote on 
punch card, optical scan and mechanical lever machine, as 
they did in the 2000 election. Each type of voting system 
is inaccessible for different reasons. Another problem with 
these voting systems is that they do not count votes as 
accurately as accessible touchscreen machines. For example, 
in the October California recall election, punchcards 
failed to count 6% of the vote, optical scan failed to 
count 3% and touchscreens failed to count 1.5% of the 
votes. Besides being accessible, touchscreens count more 
votes, are simpler to administer, and, in the long run, 
cost less to purchase and operate. 
 
Poorly trained pollworkers will deny the right to vote to a 
person with a disability because the pollworker believes 
the person is 'too disabled' to cast an informed vote or 
because they cannot find the voter's name on the 
registration list. Prior to HAVA, only 15 states offered a 
provisional ballot. A provisional ballot, a new HAVA 
requirement, mandates that anyone who is told by a 
pollworker s/he cannot vote, according to the Help America 
Vote Act, should be offered a provisional ballot. After the 
rush of Election Day, during the canvass (official counting 
of the ballots), the voter's registration is verified and 
that ballot is counted. 
  
Angela Katsakis
Disability Vote Project Coordinator
AAPD (American Association of 
   People with Disabilities)
1629 K Street, NW, Suite 503
Washington, DC 20006
1-800-840-8844 (V/TTY)
VOTE AS IF YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT, BECAUSE IT DOES.  

=============================

U.S. ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION
1225 New York Ave. NW - Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20005
 
SUNSHINE ACT NOTICES
 
AGENCY: United States Election Assistance Commission
 
DATE & TIME: Thursday, June 3, 2004, at 9:00 A.M
 
PLACE: Loyola University
Water Tower Campus 
25 East Pearson
Chicago, IL 60611
15th Floor 
Kasbeer Hall
 
STATUS: This Meeting Will Be Open to the Public.
 
NOTE:	Early Arrival: Those Attending Are Advised to Arrive 
Early for Registration and Security Check
 
PURPOSE: To Conduct a Public Hearing to Identify Best 
Practices, Problems and Transition Issues Associated with 
Optical Scan, Punch Card, and Lever Machine Voting Systems 
and the Success and Problems Identified with the Use of 
Provisional Voting.
 
The Following Witness Panels Will Be Presented: 
Punchcard Panel, Lever Machine Panel, Optical Scan Panel 
and Provisional Vote Panel
 
PERSON TO CONTACT FOR INFORMATION:	
Bryan Whitener  
(202) 566-3100
 
# # #

=====================

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