The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) requires that every polling place have at least one accessible voting machine available for every federal election so voters with disabilities can cast a private and independent ballot. To help ensure that blind and low-vision voters are not denied this right, the National Federation of the Blind will host an Election Day hotline that blind and low-vision voters, poll workers, and voting rights advocates can call when problems with accessible voting technology or other barriers are preventing a blind voter from casting a private and independent ballot.
The hotline will be available on November 3, 2020, by calling 1-877-NFB-1940 ( 1-877-632-1940( from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific standard time. Individuals who have experience in the operation of accessible voting technology will be staffing the hotline to provide assistance to blind voters, poll workers, and voting rights advocates.
After exercising the fundamental right to vote, blind and low-vision voters are encouraged to complete our 2020 Blind and Low-Vision Voter Experience Survey. The 2020 blind and low-vision voter experience survey consists of two separate surveys. Those voters who voted absentee or by mail using an accessible electronic ballot delivery system or a traditional paper ballot, are encouraged to complete the survey for blind and low-vision voters who voted absentee or by mail at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YJJL7GN.
Blind and low-vision voter who voted at an early voting center or at a polling place on Election Day, are encouraged to complete the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NGFMPF2.
Questions about the blind voter hotline or the blind voter survey may be directed to Lou Ann Blake, by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 410-659-9314, extension 2221, or Jeff Kaloc, by email at [email protected] or by phone at 410-659-9314, extension 2206.