[nfbwatlk] Fw: Congressman Holt to Address Blind Americans on Accessible Voting

[Mike Freeman]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Pare, John" <JPare at NFB.ORG>
To: "Pare, John" <JPare at NFB.ORG>
Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 8:58 AM
Subject: Congressman Holt to Address Blind Americans on Accessible Voting




Congressman Holt to Address Blind Americans on Accessible Voting




Blind Representatives from Every State in the Country to Attend Meeting



Representative Rush Holt (D-NJ) will address over 500 blind Americans, who 
have traveled to Washington, D.C. from every state in the country, on 
Monday, January 29, at 5 p.m.  Rep. Holt will discuss the controversy over 
electronic voting machines and how Congress plans to address security 
concerns while ensuring continued ballot accessibility for the blind.  The 
gathering will take place in the Columbia Room of the Holiday Inn Capitol, 
located at 550 C. Street Southwest, Washington, D.C.



The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) represented a historic gain for 
blind voters because the newer voting technologies mandated by that law 
allow blind people to vote privately and independently using audio 
interfaces and keypads.  Since the adoption of this technology, however, 
questions have arisen about the security, reliability, and accuracy of the 
new voting machines, and Representative Holt is a leading proponent of the 
use of measures that allow voters to verify that their ballots are recorded 
correctly.  The Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act, introduced 
by Representative Holt, is a comprehensive measure intended to address both 
security and accessibility concerns.  Rep. Holt will explain his proposal to 
blind Americans and continue a dialogue with the blind about how to improve 
the voting process.



The Monday gathering kicks off the annual "Washington Seminar" conducted by 
the National Federation of the Blind.  In the days following this initial 
meeting, blind Americans will visit their representatives and senators on 
Capitol Hill to educate the legislators on the three legislative priorities 
of blind Americans.



For more information or to attend one of the meetings between blind 
constituents and their representatives or senators, contact John Paré, 
Director of Public Relations for the National Federation of the Blind, at 
(410) 913-3912, or e-mail him at jpare at nfb.org.



# # #



About the National Federation of the Blind



With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the 
largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the 
United States.   The NFB improves blind people's lives through advocacy, 
education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and 
self-confidence.  It is the leading force in the blindness field today and 
the voice of the nation's blind.  In January 2004 the NFB opened the 
National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and 
training center in the United States for the blind led by the blind.


John G. Paré Jr.
Director of Public Relations
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Maryland  21230
Telephone:  (410) 659-9314, ext. 2371
Cell phone:  (410) 913-3912
Fax:  (410) 685-5653
Email:  jpare at nfb.org