[msb-alumni] Lawsuit: Absentee ballots aren't an option for blind Michigan voters who want to vote on their own

From: Steve <pipeguy920@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <msb-alumni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2020 17:18:28 -0400

BlankAmen, Fred, I'd love to be a co-plaintiff on this one!
Steve

Absentee ballots aren't an option for blind Michigan voters who want to vote on
their
own. And during the coronavirus pandemic - when state officials are encouraging
people to stay home and vote absentee instead of congregating at the polls -
that's
dangerous, said Jason Turkish, managing partner at Nyman Turkish PC.

The firm is suing Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Director of Elections
Jonathan Brater for failing to provide alternatives for blind people to vote
absentee. The lawsuit requests a judge to require Michigan to implement an
accessible
absentee voting alternative by the May 5 election. The federal lawsuit was
filed over
the weekend, on behalf of blind Michiganders Michael Powell and Fred Wurtzel,
the
current and former president of the Michigan Affiliate of the National
Federation of
the Blind. "People will get COVID because they cannot vote from home," Turkish
said,
who's a blind Michigan voter himself. Secretary of State officials declined to
answer
MLive questions about the lawsuit or questions about why Michigan doesn't allow
for
accessible absentee voting. Powell v Benson Stamped Com... by Taylor DesOrmeau
on
Scribd Many blind people must take public transportation to get to the polls,
further
putting them at risk for getting coronavirus, Turkish said. Other states have
implemented methods to allow blind people to vote absentee from home, using
screen-reading software. The U.S. Court of Appeals required Ohio to do so,
after a
2018 lawsuit . Because the software is already in place in other states and is
"open
source," it wouldn't cost Michigan much, if anything, to make this
accommodation,
Turkish said. "We are not asking for a penny of damages in this lawsuit,"
Powell said
in a news release. "All we are asking for is the opportunity to vote in a
manner that
is safe, private, and accessible, the same way Michiganders without
disabilities are
able to. Michigan has methods in place to help blind voters vote in person.
There are
some voting machines with accessibility built in or blind voters can request
assistance from a poll worker, Turkish said. After numerous conversations with
state
officials about the issue, Turkish said advocates had to file a lawsuit if they
wanted to see action. "Our democracy is better off, the more people who
participate.
I thought that's what Jocelyn Benson stood for," Turkish said, noting he voted
for
her. "It's really shameful. COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS In addition to washing
hands
regularly and not touching your face , officials recommend practicing social
distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus. Health officials say you
should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if
possible. Carry hand sanitizer with you , and use disinfecting wipes or
disinfecting
spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles,
faucets,
countertops) and when you go into places like stores. Read more Michigan
coronavirus
coverage here Monday, April 27: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan
Michigan extends personal protection orders during coronavirus crisis Daily
life
grinds to a halt with empty streets, a rising death toll as coronavirus lays
siege to
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"},{"_id":"G6WDUNXMYJFVZPJXO3KH7VYOTI","type":"text","additional_properties":{"comments":[],"inline_comments":[],"_id":1588002674456},"content":"Many

blind people must take public transportation to get to the polls, further
putting
them at risk for getting coronavirus, Turkish said."}
,{"_id":"OLHPH4ZYYFHKLB47QU6JMZF74M","type":"text","additional_properties":{"comments":[],"inline_comments":[],"_id":1588002674457},"content":"Other

states have implemented methods to allow blind people to vote absentee from
home,
using screen-reading software. The U.S. Court of Appeals required Ohio to do
so,
after a 2018 lawsuit ."}
,{"_id":"VIJ3DH3WLRFKBLPPCP3TR7XYIA","type":"text","additional_properties":{"comments":[],"inline_comments":[],"_id":1588002674458},"content":"Because

the software is already in place in other states and is "open source," it
wouldn't
cost Michigan much, if anything, to make this accommodation, Turkish said."}
,{"_id":"R7GWFXQ2UJDU5F3CMWGRFOJS6E","type":"text","additional_properties":{"comments":[],"inline_comments":[],"_id":1588002674459},"content":"We

are not asking for a penny of damages in this lawsuit," Powell said in a news
release. "All we are asking for is the opportunity to vote in a manner that is
safe,
private, and accessible, the same way Michiganders without disabilities are
able
to."}
,{"_id":"MD45RXF2Y5AHVPTABELOQW2L4A","type":"text","additional_properties":{"comments":[],"inline_comments":[],"_id":1588002674460},"content":"Michigan

has methods in place to help blind voters vote in person. There are some voting
machines with accessibility built in or blind voters can request assistance
from a
poll worker, Turkish said."}
,{"_id":"SE4PYTAHGJFODM7Y4F45ZVX6YA","type":"text","additional_properties":{"comments":[],"inline_comments":[],"_id":1588002674461},"content":"After

numerous conversations with state officials about the issue, Turkish said
advocates
had to file a lawsuit if they wanted to see action.
"},{"_id":"R32ZFVZJ7VGPNPLKQTSZCBTFIA","type":"text","additional_properties":{"comments":[],"inline_comments":[],"_id":1588002674462},"content":"Our

democracy is better off, the more people who participate. I thought that's what
Jocelyn Benson stood for," Turkish said, noting he voted for her. "It's really
shameful."

Follow-Ups:
- [msb-alumni] Re: Lawsuit: Absentee ballots aren't an option for blind Michigan voters who want to vote on their own
  - From: Tony Handley

[msb-alumni] Lawsuit: Absentee ballots aren't an option for blind Michigan voters who want to vote on their own

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