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� 2001-2006 by Shiloh
times since Oct. 22, 2001
The Ballot-Marking Device: Making History
06-03-2006 E 11:59 a.m.
Feeling--blank
Reading-- The Princess Diaries, Volume VII: Party Princess by Meg Cabot
Listening to-- relative silence

For this past election that was held on May 23rd, all across Idaho in the polling places an innovative new device, called the Ballot-Marking Device was used. The BMD (as I call it for short) is a device with different capabilities or extensions that help those with different types of disabilities vote independently, securely and privately. The ballot is entered into the BMD where it's scanned onto the touch screen, and all one has to do is touch their choice or choices on the screen. Then when the voter is done, all he or she has to do is touch on the flashing arrow that reads "NEXT" and it goes to a review of all the choices made. If everything's still satisfactory then the person touches the "Mark Ballot" option. It takes a few minutes to mark, but then it spits the ballot back out and the voter puts their ballot into the privacy sleeve. For those who are blind the BMD has head phones and a braille pad; for the sight-impaired, the screen can zoom in or go to a high contrast screen. For the paralyzed it has a puff and sip piece.

It's an awesome device! At our training for Determined To Vote back in March, we were first told about it and were able to experiment with one. It's so simple to use! And I've been anxious and excited to use the one at my polling place. It was so cool to go in there and see the station where they'd set the BMD up. I couldn't wait to use it again after that one time at training and after speaking about it at our two presentations thus far.

Already it's made a world of difference, especially for one man in Boise. The other day my boss, Ms. P, forwarded a letter she'd read to the Idaho Statesman's editor to all the Determined To Vote teams, saying, "It is proof that all of the hard work of so many has made a difference." This is what the man had to say:

"I am 59 years old, and have been blind for 50 years. Tuesday, May 23, I helped in making Idaho history, with a new voting machine for the blind and disabled.

"I voted without having to have my ballot read and marked by someone other than myself. I was thrilled.

"I would like to say thank you to all those volunteers who were trained to assist in using this machine, taking the time to help us."

B.M., Boise

*misty smile* Another history making victory for the disabled. Or...should I say empowerment?

Whoever came up with this concept and made it a reality, thank you.


..:: Remembered�����E�����Occuring ::..

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06-03-2006 E The Ballot-Marking Device: Making History
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