Paper Ballots and the Disabled

[Bill Bored]

People, I haven't seen this discussed here but there is an issue with paper ballots that are unusable by some disabled voters who want nothing more than the ability to vote independently with secret ballots like the rest of us.

This can be used cynically by those not in favor of verified voting, to put the kibosh on the Voter-verified Paper Ballot (VVPB) and block legislation that would mandate it. THIS is the reason for some of the language in the bills that avoids a specific mandate for a VVPB. The fact is that NOT ALL voters CAN verify them.

We need to reach out to orgs. for the disabled and explain the other side of the story. I have actually seen some stuff that they've written in opposition to paper ballots stating that the touchscreen certification process ensures that votes cast on these machines are correctly counted. They seem to be uninformed!

There is a device called an Automark. I don't know how it works, but it's a way for people with some disabilities to use paper ballots.

For the blind, there are touch screens with audio. I'm sure they can have printers for paper ballots too, but there may still be an issue with counting the paper ballot as the ballot of record if some voters simply can't see it. This needs to be resolved.

I raise this mainly to explain how those who want to keep the vote-counting process away from public scrutiny can use it as a wedge issue.

What we need to do is to un-wedge it!

As part of our effort to achieve verified voting, we therefore need to reach out to the disabled to make them understand what is at stake, and to help them find alternative methods of casting their votes independently and secretly. They have this right, but we need a way to provide this capability and still make the vote verifiable. In doing so, however, they shouldn't be treated as second class citizens (unless of course they happen to be Democrats -- just kidding).

Also, this is an example of how we can't over-simplify this issue (i.e. "no machines, 100% hand counts, they do it in Canada", etc.). Regardless of the merits of this argument, it's just not realistic and we shouldn't let it divide us now. There is legislation in Congress that WILL require VVPBs in all states. This is the first step toward verified voting and it's a huge one. But to get it, we need to be cognizant of the opposition's motives and methods.

Historically, those who could not physically vote were accompanied by both a Dem and a Repub who would assist them in casting their vote by whatever method was in use for the general population. I'm sure as progressive types, you can see how this would be objectionable or humiliating to someone who would prefer to be independent and cast a secret ballot. We should not lose sight of this in our effort to repair the electoral process.

[crispini]

1. That's an interesting point, and one I hadn't considered.

I think there will be many different layers of things to think of, depending on the person's ability level, and it would be useful to have a breakdown of the pros and cons. In my municipality - touchscreens for EV and paper for election day - we still assist voters in the way you describe in the last paragraph.

For example, we have curbside voting, for election day, where two election clerks (of the different parties) can take the ballot out to the voter who can vote in their car, and use a privacy folder to take the ballot back inside and cast it. I think this is almost an advantage for paper as it's easier to carry around.

I ran into a blind voter while I was canvassing and I encouraged her to use early voting. That way she could use her screen reader at home and who-ever she preferred to help her. That's also a good alternative perhaps?

[Bill Bored]

2. Here's a link

<http://www.wheresthepaper.org/links.html#dis>

[Bill Bored]

3. And another

<http://www.wheresthepaper.org/ElectionLawDec20.htm>

[crispini]

4. Good stuff thanks!

(Bookmarked) The more I learn the more I learn how much there IS to learn.... :P

[Bill Bored]

10. You're welcome

And see this thread which I'm going to link to this one:
<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x302631#top>

[Igel]

5. In NY you can take nearly anybody into

the voting booth with you (if you hav nobody, a dem/repub pair will be provided for you). There are two restrictions: your employer and your union rep are not allowed to be that "anybody".

[Hugin]

6. Google "Diebold Donation Lighthouse Blind" n/t

[Zan_of_Texas]

7. Yeah. Well.

Diebold gave the National Federation of the Blind a cool one million bucks, Diebold's CEO Walden O'Dell is called a "wonderful Friend" by the Federation and is pictured at one of their annual balls, and Diebold on its own website calls the Federation a "strategic partner." Oh yeah, and the Federation on its website extolls the virtues of electronic paperless voting, specifically Diebold's.

Their cozy little arrangement, of course, does nothing to negate the right of the disabled to vote confidentially and unassisted. It just puts the PR in a bit of a different light.

Anecdotal evidence is that the building barriers like steps are more of a worry to would-be voters at the polls.

One friend found that voting was on the stage of an auditorium, when he went to take his mother to vote, and the CA election officials were most unhelpful.

For actual discussion of how paper ballots and visual disability can work, go to that section in the new booklet:

Ellen Theisen:
"Myth Breakers: Facts about Electronic Elections.
Essential Information
for Those Entrusted with Making Decisions
about Election Systems in the United States"

Second Edition, January 2005
http://www.VotersUnite.org/MB2.pdf

[Hugin]

8. It was the same M.O. as the AARP emasculation. n/t

[Bill Bored]

9. Thanks for the explanation.

This is what I mean about cynical manipulation.

But there are answers that could accommodate everyone. See the links I posted above.

[abbiehoff]

11. How do the disabled vote in Canada and Germany

If these countries hand-count paper ballots, they have apparently already solved this problem.

[elare]

12. From the Elections Canada website ...

Elections Canada offers information and education services to persons who have a disability, seniors, persons with limited reading and writing skills, and persons living in transitional situations (homeless or living in a shelter for victims of abuse). Material is available in alternative formats: large print, Braille, audiocassette and diskette (for talking computers).

http://www.elections.ca/home.asp?textonly=false

From that page, click on "Voters", then click on "More information about the electoral process (backgrounders)", then scroll down to the link for "Programs and Services for Persons with Special Needs" for detailed information about the various services provided.

edited for typo