Washington, DC Implements Accessible Touchscreen Voting

An AAPD Press Release:

DC'S BLIND VOTERS WILL BE ABLE TO VOTE INDEPENDENTLY FOR THE FIRST TIME:
AAPD, WITH THE DC BOARD OF ELECTIONS, MAKES VOTING ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL

Press Release, January 12, 2004

Thanks in large part to the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the nation's largest disability membership organization, all citizens of the District of Columbia, including the 22,000 individuals who are blind and disabled, will for the first time, be able to vote secretly and independently in the country's first primary election on Tuesday. DC is among the first jurisdictions to meet the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) requirement for 1 accessible touchscreen voting unit in every polling place.

AAPD's VP, Jim Dickson, who is blind, has been a leading force nationally to make voting accessible for everyone. As a resident of the District of Columbia, he will be able to cast a ballot for the first time in his life without needing someone to enter the voting booth with him. "I've been voting for 36 years. I've had to trust that others marked my ballot according to my wishes. I am excited and proud to exercise my fundamental right as an American. This is a big step for me and a huge step for democracy."

Congressman Bob Ney (R, OH), (coauthor with Senator Chris Dodd (D, CT) of HAVA), said, "I'm delighted that the nation's capital is leading the way in implementing HAVA's accessibility requirement. The right of every American to cast a secret ballot and be confident that vote is counted is fundamental to our democracy and that's why Congress overwhelmingly passed HAVA."

In another first, the District will be conducting the election on a "blended system." Voters will have the choice of voting on an accessible electronic touchscreen or on a paper optical scan ballot. The accessible system allows the blind voter, using headphones, to hear the ballot and vote following the prompts. Prior to casting his vote secretly, Jim Dickson will demonstrate the audio ballot using electronic speakers.

Also participating in the press conference are Ben Wilson, Chairman of the DC Board of Elections and Ethics, Reverend DeForest "Buster" Soaries, Jr., Commissioner of the United States Election Administration Commission, and Gracia Hillman, Commissioner of the United States Election Administration Commission.

AAPD will continue to work vigorously to ensure that all Americans with disabilities can cast a secret and independent ballot and their polling places are accessible.

AAPD, founded in 1995 by national cross-disability leaders, works to increase the political and economic empowerment of the nation's 56 million disabled individuals.

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