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Tuesday, August 05, 2003
Expo Puts Accessible Voting Technology to the Test
Individuals with disabilities are invited to test technology-advanced voting machine equipment at the Voting Technology Expo on Friday, August 8, 10 AM to 4 PM in rooms 408 and 409 of the Atlantic City Convention Center, One Miss America Way, Atlantic City. The Expo is a collaborative effort of the New Jersey Division of Elections, the Monday Morning Project, the Atlantic County Superintendent of Elections, the New Jersey Division of Disability Services and the Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association. It is free and open to the public.
The Expo is designed to assess the accessibility and convenience of new voting machines for those with disabilities. Attendees will have an opportunity to utilize equipment, ask questions and make comments and recommendations to participating vendors.
"This Expo is an excellent forum for those who have difficulty with voting machine equipment," stated County Executive Dennis Levinson. "It affords them an opportunity to have input and impact the future."
State and county election officials will be required to invest in accessible voting technology before the 2004 general election to comply with the requirements of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). HAVA was signed into federal law last October to improve the nation's electoral process and protect all citizens' right to vote. It provides federal monies to help states upgrade voting equipment and election procedures.
Some of the technology to be featured at the Expo includes laptop and tabletop touch screen units and headphones for audio ballots.
Parking is available in the Convention Center's underground facility with more than 440 designated handicapped spaces.
For more information, please contact Joanne Armbruster, Atlantic County Superintendent of Elections, at 343-2245 or 348-5551 (TTY).
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