Blind voters' suit a class action (voting machines)

[phoebe]

By John Pacenti, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 9, 2003


WEST PALM BEACH -- A group of sight-impaired voters scored a big victory in its lawsuit against Supervisor of Elections Theresa LePore when a U.S. Magistrate granted class action status to the litigation.

"It's a huge boost," Miami attorney Matthew W. Dietz, who filed the lawsuit in February on behalf of five voters, said on Tuesday.

Without the class action status, even if successful, LePore could satisfy the verdict by putting Sequoia audio voting machines in just the five plaintiffs' precincts.

Now she would have to put them throughout the county because the lawsuit represents some 30,000 blind or nearly blind county voters.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/auto/epaper/editions/wednesday/local_news_f3b089bd168be1aa00bb.html

[Nambe]

1. IMO, sight impaired voters should be allowed to use absentee...

ballots. They could be in braille and delivered personaly or mailed.

[LauraK]

2. If the electronic machines had a voice feature.....

and the sight impaired voters brought headphones....they would still need help. Brail ballotts would be the only answer I can think of.