Branch Politics’ Post

VOTER REGISTRATION TIPS: Check your registration status, especially if you have recently moved.  Check the location of your voting site. Early voting sites may be different from voting… https://lnkd.in/ejPJgJSN

Today I went to vote. The staff at the polling station were lovely, but had never used the tactile voting guide before. If you're blind, you get a guide with braille numbers down the side. The staff read you the candidate list, and then you lift the flap of the one you want and put your cross in the box. After I’d voted, they mentioned that they’d stuck the guide on the paper so the flap only covered part of the box, meaning I wouldn't have to lift it. But I already had, so I was left with no idea whether I’d voted how I wanted to. I feel bad for the polling station volunteer, because I think I pulled an annoyed face. It's not their fault. But a lack of training has consequences for blind voters like myself. We need truly accessible options so blind people can vote in secret and not have to wonder whether volunteers are receiving the correct training with devices they will rarely use. It sounds so silly, but I almost felt like crying when I left. I’m just one voter. If my vote didn’t get recorded correctly, it likely won’t change the outcome for the area I live in. But it's not the point. How many of us is this happening to? I feel that it's really important to go out and vote so that your voice does get heard. In this situation, as in so many others, I felt powerless because of a system that was not designed to consider people like myself. This is why #AccessibilityMatters. Inaccessible systems and processes take away our power, our autonomy, our ability to participate in one of the most important democratic processes.

🗽Postcard and Letter Writing to Voters Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen. - Michael Jordan PEOPLE POWER UNITED MAY 05, 2023 9 6 Share People Power United folks rock! To date, they have written over half a million letters and postcards! We are making change happen! FYI, our letter and postcard writing is happening year-round. Here are some ways to plug into this fantastic and powerful way to engage community members on issues and voting. Postcards to Voters Postcards and Letter Writing To Voters is a group of volunteers who write postcards (and letters) to targeted voters in the hope of increasing turnout in close, key elections across the country. We do this in our homes, with friends, and in our communities. We also meet virtually once a month to discuss new campaigns and instructions and chat about politics. You can choose between the Partisan or Non-Partisan postcard campaigns:

What makes democracy run? A really good website. Well, a good website that gives voters the information they need to get to the polls and make their voices heard. A good website that seamlessly organizes voting locations across the county and makes them searchable. A good website that puts important registration and voting dates front and center. A website like vote.indy.gov. We were so excited to work with Indy Votes to create this new website ahead of a critical election year. Check it out and make sure you're registered to make your vote count. It's you who really makes democracy run (with the help of this website 😉).

Here's what you need to know about voting when you're away from home.

We're thrilled to announced that we've created www.StumptownStats.org 📣📣 We're democratizing data to illuminate civic trends. A trend emerges over time (not one year!), so we'll track Portland's progress toward a more open, representative, and effective city over the next decade. Here's a fun example, especially relevant as the 2024 election cycle heats up: Since 2002, only four Portland City Council races have been competitive. In the vast majority of races, the second highest vote-getter lagged by more than 15 percentage points behind the number of “votes needed to win” in each race. Why does competitiveness matter? Competitive elections can be an indicator of a healthy democracy. Voters have diverse opinions. When a diverse field of candidates represent those opinions, voters see more options and more reason to participate in the electoral process. This both propels voter participation and fosters more dynamic community conversations about the issues that matter. Will Portland's new election system result in a change here? We'll get a hint in the first election this fall — and follow the next few election cycles to understand the trends.

We believe everyone is entitled to an equitable voting experience, which is why we are partnered with Clear Ballot Group on the accessibility of their election technology. Clear Ballot designs election technology that provides vote-by-mail, precinct tabulation, and post-election results verification solutions spanning more than 43 million voters in 13 states. Recently, their new tech was certified for use by New York election officials and will be utilized by ballot-goers in 11 counties. Some counties have expressed optimism the new device will reduce voting time significantly for people, going from a full half-hour to complete a ballot to 5 minutes. Brian Switzer of our parent organization Perkins School for the Blind, commented that, “In a healthy democracy, everyone has the right to vote. And yet, for a lot of people with disabilities, including those with visual impairments, that can be a real stumbling block. And when our voice isn’t heard, that’s a real issue for our community.” Read more from Steven Aquino on Forbes: https://lnkd.in/eVYXGkVn #Accessibility #Voting #DigitalAccessibility #Inclusion #DisaibilityInclusion #ElectionTechnology #Vote

This #DisabilityVotingRightsWeek, check out the newest updates on AccessibleVoting.net. The most exciting update is that the National Coalition of Accessible Voting (NCAV)’s Voting Access Guide for Election Officials is now part of the site! ❓ So why did we create the site in the first place? At CCD, we’ve spoken to countless voters – and non-voters – over the years. And what we hear again and again is that access to clear, timely information can make the difference between voters exercising their right to vote or not participating in elections at all. Knowing in advance which voting system will be at your poll means that you have time to prepare. You can decide to bring personal assistive technology or simply feel more confident that you’ll be able to use the voting system.  You can make a voting plan that works for you. Too often, information is hard to find on local or state-level election websites. Or it’s not written in plain language. Small barriers add up over time to make voting feel stressful and unwelcoming.   Or worse, those barriers can mean people don’t even try to cast a vote. AccessibilityVoting.net is a plain language guide to #accessible voting options available in every state. Originally built in 2022, it’s been newly updated to prepare voters across the country for the 2024 General Election. From the start, one of our goals was that election officials would be able to use AccessibleVoting.net as a model for what information to include in their own voter information materials. This year, we’ve partnered with NCAV to add the Voting Access Guide for Election Officials to the site. It provides information, recommendations, and checklists on accessibility for every stage of the voting process, to help election officials address barriers early in planning. AccessibleVoting.net is a project of REV UP, Center for Civic Design, and Microsoft Democracy Forward & Accessibility teams. Coforma built the site. Read more about the updates on our website: https://lnkd.in/eGuXaYcf American Association of People with Disabilities #DisabilityVote #RevUp2024

Check out my latest #Substack post about the sacred right of voting.

Here’s my latest issue brief in CommonWealth Beacon on proposals to require voter IDs. “The extremes on both sides of this argument believe the other is manipulating the electoral process to win at all costs. Put in somewhat less emotionally charged terms, advocates for election integrity prioritize going the extra mile to ensure the rule of law and voter confidence, even if that means some eligible voters are discouraged or excluded, while those who are primarily concerned with expanded and equitable voter access concentrate on maximizing participation, even if it means some voters turn out to be ineligible.”