Join the NYC Board of Elections and The Disabilities Network of NYC for a free demonstration of the new accessible ballot marking device used while voting on Wednesday, August 29th from 4-7pm in the auditorium at VISIONS at Selis Manor, 135 W. 23rd Street (between 6th & 7th Avenues).
To RSVP please call: 212-251-4092. When you RSVP, please let us know if you require any of the following: Braille, Large-Print Materials, American Sign Language Interpreters, Assistive Listening System or any other reasonable accommodation.
These demonstrations are intended to reach out to voters with disabilities, seniors and any other voters interested in learning more about the new ballot marking devices. We thank VISIONS at Selis Manor for use of their auditorium for this important event.
“The demonstrations will include an opportunity for voters to try out the new ... device. BMDs assist voters in marking their ballot using a touch screen, keyboard, audio headset, sip & puff device or rocker paddles. This allows voters with disabilities to vote without assistance and in secrecy,” stated the Board of Elections in the City of New York Executive Director John Ravitz.
"Voting is the most fundamental, the most basic of civic rights," said Lawrence Carter-Long, Director of Advocacy for the Disabilities Network of NYC. "All other rights stem from who we vote for. Until voting is completely accessible and voters with disabilities are familar with the new devices we will not take our proper place in the decision making process in New York City. The Disabilities Network urges everyone to become comfortable with and make use of accessible voting machines in upcoming primaries and elections. We must not only vote, but we must be seen voting. Otherwise we allow the "out of sight out of mind" mentality to continue."
The Board of Elections (BOE) will place ballot marking devices in each Borough Office for voters to use in casting their vote in both the September 18, Primary Elections and the November, General Elections. In each Borough Office, the Board has designated a room that has been assessed by the Board’s Poll Site Accessibility Unit to ensure that it meets the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and HAVA accessibility standards. The BMDs which were manufactured by Avante International Technology, Inc. will be available in these Borough Office pollsites, with the exception of Staten Island who has no uncontested primaries.
NOTE: The BMDs are not actual voting machines. They will assist the voter to mark the ballot; but they do not count the votes. Those ballots that are cast using the BMDs will be counted by hand in a manner to preserve anonymity of the ballots when the Board counts all paper ballots eight days after the Primary Election.
Lawrence Carter-Long
Director of Advocacy Disabilities Network of NYC
c/o United Way
2 Park Avenue, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10016
Lawrence@dnnyc.net
http://dnnyc.net tel:
mobile: 212-251-4092
917-684-3235
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