Granite State Independent Living (GSIL) teamed up with the Secretary of State’s office to provide free training on the new accessible voting equipment which was available at all NH polling places on November 4.

Over the past few months, GSIL staff conducted 83 equipment presentations; reaching 1,171 individuals with disabilities prior to the November 4 election.

About NH Votes:
Granite State Independent Living has partnered with the Secretary of State’s Office to provide organizations an opportunity to learn more about the new accessible voting system in New Hampshire. As mandated by the Help America Vote Act, every polling place became accessible in November 2007. There are several new options available to individuals with disabilities to increase access to voting and we would like you to know about them.

The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002 mandates that every polling place in the United States be accessible to persons with disabilities and that the ballot must also be accessible to everyone, including people with little or no vision. Its purpose is to guarantee equal access to the voting process for aging voters as well as persons with disabilities by way of an accessible voting system.

To compliment our efforts, The Secretary of State’s office has been providing comprehensive training sessions all around the state to educate local election officials and poll workers about the system. The seminars also include disability etiquette information and suggestions about how they can respectfully assist all people with disabilities.

About GSIL:
Founded in 1980, Granite State Independent Living (GSIL) is a statewide nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote life with independence for people with disabilities and those experiencing the natural process of aging through advocacy, information, education and support.  We offer the tools and resources so that individuals can participate as fully as they choose in their lives, families, and communities. The organization provides a wide variety of services, including employment, peer groups, transportation, personal care, access modification and benefit counseling, http://www.gsil.org.