US Election Assistance Commission - Voluntary Voting System Guidelines Vote
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Name :   Jim Dickson
Organization :   American Assoc. of People With Disabilities (AAPD)
Post Date :   9/30/2005

Section Comments
Section :  2.2.7.1.2.2.6
Page no. :  
Line no.:  
Comment :  Standard 2.2.7.1.2.2.6 may require appropriate accessibility (both large  
print and audio output), however the wording is unclear.  The second  
sentence limits its application to situations in which a state requires a  
VVPAT to be an official ballot.  Election officials at more than just the state level could require or allow the paper ballot to be the official  
vote record.  The standard must make it clear that if the paper ballot is  
or can be the official vote of record it MUST be accessible to voters who  
are blind and those with low vision.  It is unclear why this second  
sentence was added to a standard that is limited to blind voters when the  
language applies it to "visually impaired voters" which includes all types of vision disabilities.  
 
Important Note:  Making "optical aids" available at a polling place is NOT  
an appropriate accessibility solution and it cannot be used in place of  
electronic output of large print, high contrast text.  Non-electronic  
magnifiers must be matched to an individual's vision limitations, their  
visual tracking skills, and their personal refractive lens use.  A polling  
place cannot possibly have available the range of optical aids that would  
be necessary to ensure appropriate accessibility and it is inappropriate  
to suggest a polling place use that approach to delivering accessibility.