SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA — Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon today announced a suite of tools to expand opportunities for voting to voters with disabilities. “The right to vote is a right for everyone who is eligible, no matter what method they use” said Secretary Simon. “These resources will make exercising the power of the vote more accessible to all Minnesotans.”
A powerful coalition of organizations, including the American Council of the Blind of Minnesota, Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing, the Minnesota Disability Law Center, and the Minnesota Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind, along with other members of the Secretary of State’s Disability Advisory Committee, were instrumental in bringing these tools to voters.
“The Commission is thrilled that Minnesota continues to be a leader in championing communication access for voters who are deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing,” said Darlene G. Zangara, PhD, Executive Director for the Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing. “With the new video factsheets in American Sign Language and with the establishing an ASL hotline to answer voter questions, our standards continue to rise. We appreciate working together with the Secretary of State’s Office, community advocates, and our stakeholders for barrier-free voting.” Continue reading.