URGENT

HAVA ACTION ALERT

We are under attack!

Background

State and county election officials have worked an amendment through
the NYS Congressional delegation to the Holt bill (HR 811) which
contains language that will suspend the disability provisions of HAVA
(Help America Vote Act) in New York State until 2010!!! If this goes
through, it will cease any progress on disability voting access in
New York for three years!

Speaker Pelosi is considering the amendment, but is looking for
feedback from the disability community (especially from New York). WE
MUST RESPOND!

The NYSILC office made emergency phone calls at the end of the
business day yesterday. NYSILC wrote a letter, provided below, to
oppose the amendment. Jim Dickson of the AAPD attended the bill
hearing last night and delivered the letter for us to Speaker Pelosi
and Steny Hoyer. The action helped to delay a decision for another
day or two.

We need to take action immediately!!!

Action

1) Call House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Office at (202) 225-0100. If her
Speaker line is too busy, her alternative DC Congress office number
is (202) 225-4965.

· Tell them your name and the city or town where you live.

· Deliver the following message:

o "Please tell Speaker Pelosi to NOT amend the Holt bill (HR 811)
with language that would let New York State suspend the disability
provisions of the Federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) until 2010."



2) Contact your local member of Congress, and Rep. Louise Slaughter.



Rep. Randy Kuhl -- 202-225-3161

Rep. Tom Reynolds -- 202-225-5265

Rep. Louise Slaughter -- 202-225-3615 Everyone PLEASE call, even if
she is not your Representative!

Rep. Jim Walsh -- 202-225-3701



· If you aren't sure which of these individual represents your area,
you can use the link provided below to the CDR website:

http://capwiz.com/rochestercdr/state/main/?state=NY

Or call me, Terrie Lincoln, at 585-442-6470, and I will assist you!



When you reach the office of your Representative:

· Tell them your name and your city or town of residence.

· Deliver the following message:

o "Please tell my representative to tell Speaker Pelosi to NOT amend
the Holt bill (HR 811) with language that would let New York State
suspend the disability provisions of the Federal Help America Vote
Act (HAVA) until 2010."

· If they want to discuss the issue further, or want to know what we
want, you can add:

o The State Board of Elections (SBOE) and county election
commissioners have had more than enough time to comply with HAVA,
which should have been addressed on Primary Day 2006.

o For the Federal election in 2008, New Yorkers with disabilities
want the state to step up their HAVA compliance and meet the standard
of one accessible voting machine per polling place. This would also
mean that all polling places would have to be accessible per ADA
guidelines.



3) If you find out any information during your conversations, email
Terrie Lincoln at tlincoln@....



Please let me know when you have responded!

Thanks,

Terrie



Terrie J Lincoln

Systems Advocate

Regional Center for Independent Living

497 State St

Rochester, NY 14608

(585)-442-6470

tlincoln@...