New voting machines to help out disabled

For years, he has had to visit the voting booth armed with more than his opinions.

As a visually impaired man, William Gibson must also find a trustworthy friend or relative to accompany him to punch the ballot and then tell that person how he wants to vote. Even when whispering, he knows that people eavesdrop and he has, on occasion, had election judges or other voters comment on his decisions. In other words, vocalizing his choice can feel about as secret as plastering his ballot on a billboard.

"A right we all view as important to Americans is voting in private and not telling the whole community about your vote," Gibson said. "When I vote and have to tell somebody my vote, the noise level will drop."

By 2006, that will all change for Gibson and thousands of other similarly disabled people, when the state purchases new, electronic voting equipment as part of the Help America Vote Act. Ideally, that equipment will include headphones, easy-to-use button interfaces, and other features that make voting as simple for people with disabilities as it is for any other voter.

Gibson, who is the director of the state's Division of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, has been a vocal champion to improve voting access for people with disabilities as a member of the Voting Equipment Selection Committee, which has issued a request for proposal establishing the basic parameters for voting machines to be considered. While the challenges are not new, the opportunity to address those challenges because of the federal mandate to purchase improved equipment is new.

"It's a requirement, a federal law. We don't have a choice except to replace the systems we have," he said. "As long as we're making a change, we should make sure that we buy equipment everybody can use."

While the genesis of HAVA was the Florida election debacle in 2000 and a subsequent attempt the improve accuracy of voting machines, it has become a rallying point for people with disabilities wanting to improve their voting experience. The vast majority of public testimony during the committee's meetings has been from disabled people and disabled rights activists, something that state Elections Director Amy Naccarato said has been an eye-opening experience for some committee members.

The state is also working to improve access to polling places, which can range from simply installing a ramp to having to completely relocate polling places, Naccarato said. While the federal government has provided $100,000, more funding and the cooperation of county clerks are needed.