I lost the right to vote privately and anonymously in 1985. That’s the year I lost my sight.
After that, I needed Mike to help me with a ballot.
We’d squeeze into a voting booth – Mike, me and my Seeing Eye dog — and Mike would read the candidates aloud. I’d tell him who I wanted, he’d help me punch the right candidate, and everyone in the place knew who I was voting for.
Not anymore!
Thanks to speech synthesizers and the hard work of disability rights advocates, I vote on my own now. With sound added to the ballot, I put on headphones, listen to the choices, and punch a button on the keyboard. All by myself.
I live in Illinois, one of the states holding a primary on Super Tuesday. Wondering who I’ll vote for? I’m not telling. I don’t have to anymore!
WOOT Beth can vote as it was intended! Good thing Hanni can keep things to herself. Hey, speaking of training, I was driving along University Ave in Little Rock today and saw two folks walking in a parking lot, each with guide dog, and two other people without dogs. Do you think they were training the dogs and/or the people?
Wow. I can’t believe it took them this long to figure out a private way for blind people to vote!
Katie, you are right. Hanni is very close-lipped, not only about secret ballots, but about other secrets, too. For this I am very, very appreciative!
Joanna, I know what you mean about how long it took them to figure out a way to let blind people vote independently. But then again, look how long it’s taking them to figure out a way to mark dollar bills so we can tell the difference between ones, fives, tens, etc.!
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