No Segregated Voting Machines — Final Update
No Segregated Voting Machines — Final Update
Brad Williams, of NYSILC, sent in this final update about our No Segregated Voting Machines Action Alert. Five of us from Rochester attended the meeting yesterday. Thanks, Brad, for all of your hard work!
Action Alert - Final Update
Our collective actions have paid off!!! The State Board of Elections (SBOE) voted today 3-1 to approve proposal # 1 of the ballot marking device procedures, allowing any registered voter to use an integrated approach for these one per county devices and sites for the upcoming primary and election days. Congratulations!
Around 15-20 advocates attended the meeting. Lawyers for Governor Spitzer, a representative from DOB, and the Assembly Elections negotiator were also present. The SBOE then explained that they had to go into executive session related to the HAVA lawsuit. They hoped to reconvene and, if productive, be able to make progress on the ballot marking devices for 2008. I had to leave the meeting to complete filming for our documentary.
Lew Dubuque, Center for Disability Rights Policy Analyst, called me later in the day to report that SBOE reconvened and voted to take a position on ballot marking devices for 2008. They are looking to take a significant step forward and make one ballot marking device available PER POLLING PLACE in 2008! This is a major victory! CONGRATULATIONS!
Perspective
We stood strong and fought back a negative ballot marking device procedure proposal. The boldness of our language, the volume of our response (500 letters in such a short period of time), and advocates at their meeting showed others that the greater proposal for 2008 was worth fighting for.
The state has committed to its first major HAVA compliance measure to date to the disability community - at least one voting machine per polling place must be accessible.
This measure is hardly a token gesture - estimated at $40 MILLION DOLLARS!
Realize that this is just the start. It is going to take a lot of hard work to implement. However, it is far better than being shut out of the process. They are now listening to us and are beginning to respond to our needs.
Brad Williams, NYSILC
RA’s Note: In case you’re curious about that 3-1 vote, it was Commissioner Kelleher, author of Proposition 2, who voted against us. he tried to make excuses for why he put forth the segregationist proposition, then, voted against Proposition 1! What a guy, eh? NOT!!!
Here is the link to the webcast of the meeting: