In a meeting with the Louisiana Voting System Commission, a 13-member panel of state officials that evaluates options for Louisiana’s voting technology, DRLA’s Director of Public Policy and Community Engagement, Tory Rocca, raised concerns that hand-written ballots would exclude individuals with visual disabilities and those who can’t use their hands.
“Rocca wants Louisiana officials to use an electronic voting system with ballot-marking devices. A new law requires the state to switch to machines that create a paper trail that can be audited, moving away from the fully digital machines in place for the past two decades.
‘Using ballot-marking devices across the board would be the most accessible thing for people with disabilities’ Rocca said.
…A hybrid voting system model, where voters with disabilities are allowed to use ballot-marking devices and able-bodied voters use hand-marked ballots, ‘does likely satisfy the requirements’ of the Help America Vote Act and the American Disabilities Act…”
Given that the Commission is not allowed to consider direct reporting electronic devices, then using ballot marking devices across the board would be the best option for people with disabilities.
Read the full story in the Louisiana Illuminator at their website: https://lailluminator.com/2022/02/15/disability-advocate-warns-hand-marked-ballots-worst-possible-system-for-louisiana-elections/
