77.8 F
Cruz Bay
Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesDisability Advocates Pleased as Voting Equipment Demonstrations Continue

Disability Advocates Pleased as Voting Equipment Demonstrations Continue

The Virgin Islands University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities hosted a St. Croix District Board of Elections voting machine demonstration for persons with disabilities on Monday at UVI’s Great Hall.

Sharon Williams, VIUCEDD’s assistant director, said the purpose of Monday’s demonstration was to allow people to use the new voting equipment while also ensuring election officials can accommodate people with disabilities come Election Day.

“You want to be sure that if you have someone who is disabled, blind or with low vision that there is assistance for them so that they can actually have a way of being included,” Williams said. “You don’t want them feeling that because of their disability their vote doesn’t count.”

Elections officials tried to ease any concerns disabled people might have in voting by providing an overview of the voting process that will be used for the primary and general election and how that includes using the new voting equipment. Officials then answered questions and walked people through using the machines, showing them how the machines catch errors and how the process would work should the voter receive errors and still want to cast a proper ballot.

From the demonstrations witnessed, the overall voter responses sounded positive. The common theme that emerged was that using the new machines was fairly simple.

“It was easy,” said one visually impaired man who wore an audio headset and voted with its assistance. He preferred to remain anonymous and said of his experience using the voting equipment, “No problems.”

Juan Figueroa, an advocate for the Disability Rights Center for the Virgin Islands, shared a similar sentiment.

“I’m satisfied. It’s very simple and it’s not that complicated,” Figueroa said. “They’re American with Disabilities Act compliant so I’m satisfied with the machines.”

One topic of discussion included how people requiring assistance during the voting process would be handled.

According to officials, any nonregistered or registered voter could assist a disabled person wanting help with the voting process, but that helper would only be allowed to help one disabled individual vote.

For example, Williams confirmed, if a child came with either of his or her disabled parents to vote, that child could only help one parent. An onsite election official would have to help the other as helping more than one person vote is prohibited. If someone needs assistance on Election Day (or during the primary election), officials will also be on hand at the various polling places for such cases.

Figueroa said he didn’t want people with disabilities to feel disenfranchised. He urged unregistered, disabled, potential voters to have a family member go with them to help them get registered.

“Make sure you come out to vote,” he said. “It’s very important that people with disabilities exercise their constitutional right to vote because every vote is important and every vote counts.”

Williams echoed that message.

“We support people in the community with disabilities,” she said. “They are our family members and we want them to live inclusive, happy, productive and independent lives.”

Williams also said she was satisfied with Monday’s demonstrations.

“I think the Board of Elections has done a good job in providing an overview and being able to respond to our request and do this demonstration for us,” she said.

The deadline to register for the primary election is July 2 with the deadline for the general election coming two weeks after that, July 16.

The V.I.’s Joint Boards of Elections meets Thursday on St. Croix at the Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital’s Cardiac Center at 10 a.m.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Keeping our community informed is our top priority.
If you have a news tip to share, please call or text us at 340-228-8784.

Support local + independent journalism in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Unlike many news organizations, we haven't put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as accessible as we can. Our independent journalism costs time, money and hard work to keep you informed, but we do it because we believe that it matters. We know that informed communities are empowered ones. If you appreciate our reporting and want to help make our future more secure, please consider donating.