Kevin LaRose,aka GrumpasaurusYou may recall that last night I posted here that I had requested #absentee ballots in order to vote in this year’s Presidential election. I assumed this would be an easy procedure. Not so much. Sarah and I have been told that we cannot vote absentee. For our reasons for having to vote absentee, we marked that Sarah might be out of town (the truth) and that I don’t have transportation to the polls (also true). (1/6)
Unfortunately the person assisting us with the forms has a big mouth and told the person she handed the form into that we were both legally blind. Apparently that was absolutely the wrong thing to say. Suddenly it became the fact that we couldn’t vote absentee at all. (2/6)
The option for people who are blind in #Indiana is some mechanism called the travel board, where two people from each party come to your place of residence to assist in filling out your ballot. To be blunt, that is not happening. If it’s the choice between that and going to the polls in person I’ll choose the latter option every time. (3/6)
We were hoping to be able to vote absentee and not inconvenience Sarah’s parents by potentially standing in line for way too long, but it looks like that can’t be helped. I need to say that I used to live in #Washington where voting is done completely by mail. None of these stupid games are necessary. I even knew what the ballot envelope looked like when it came in the mail. (4/6)
And, in the event nobody was available to help me fill out my ballot, the elections people were always there at our local #ACB meetings at the proper time with the accessible voting machine. Good grief, voting should be easy, not an ordeal. And if there are things that might affect you being able to vote in person, it should absolutely not be a big production to vote absentee. (5/6)
Once again, I’m feeling like voting has been made harder for a reason, and not a good one at all. End of rant. (6/6)
Kit MaloneYou're right, voting has been made purposefully harder in IN. I'm sorry you've had to deal with this.
I don't know where you live, but I work in voter advocacy . It sounds like you've got a plan, but if you need assistance I'll be happy to try to surface a resource local to you.
*All* polls in Indiana are required by law to have at least one accessible voting machine - although the degree to which counties comply with this can be frustrating.
@thekitmalone Thanks for reaching out. I live in Anderson. I haven’t had issues using the accessible voting machines at our local polling place; my wife and I were just trying to maybe make things a bit easier, as she’s traveling for her job more. I had heard of the travel board, but I thought they didn’t do that anymore. I’ve followed you in case I decide to pursue this further. Thanks again.
I read you. The travel board situation is insane and vote by mail in Indiana is a freaking hot mess too this year thanks to the general assembly. Best of luck to ya and I'm glad you have a plan. Here if you need anything!