9 replies to this topic

[hisamsmith]

I am going to Maryland to the Miss Wheelchair America Pageant. I am the Indiana State Delegate. I have to give a speech on an issue disabled women face. My speech is on why handicapped women don't vote at the same rate that able-bodied women do and what can be done to correct it. Could you read my speech and give me feed back? Here it is:

According to the 2000 Census Report 46,898,974 American citizens of voting age were disabled. 24, 287,614 of those citizens were female and since only thirty percent of female disabled citizens of voting age voted in 2000 a mere 7,286,284 disabled women voted in the 2000 election. If handicapped women voted at the same rate as able bodied women 14,572,568 disabled women would have voted in 2000. There are many reasons handicapped women don't vote. There are just as many solutions to the problems that keep disabled women from voting.

The biggest reason handicapped women aren't voting is that only thirty to forty percent of voting polls are considered handicapped accessible by ADA standards. This means either the voting machines or the polling facilities themselves are inaccessible. Luckily the Help America Vote Act, which is a law that was put into place in 2002, requires that polling places be accessible and specialized equipment be available for the disabled. The goal is for all voting polls to be accessible by 2012. Jim Dickson, Vice-President of governmental affairs for the American Assocation of People with Disabilities in Washington D.C., states that disabled voters must stand up and demand their right to accessible voting equipment and facilities. He said the one thing he has heard is "We don't need disabled people here. They're not voting." To which he replies "Well duh, they are not voting because they can't get in!" We must prove we want in by working with politicians to improve accessibilty at US poll sites.

Another reason disabled women don't vote is many handicapped women do not have transportation to voting polls. One of the ways to rectify the lack of transportation is to provide handicap equipped public transportation to the voting polls. Another solution is to create a centralized voting poll in each district that is equipped to handle large numbers of disabled voters and use public transportation to get them there. This plan would require that government officals notify voters who are handicapped that this service exists when they registor to vote. The last way to allow disabled voters who have no transportation to vote in an election is to file an absentee ballot. This is not the best solution because the voter must file for the ballot before the election. Plus it takes away the feeling of being able to vote in person like everyone else.

The third and last reason that disabled women don't vote is that they are afraid of being embarrassed. Going somewhere new where you know no one is scary when you are disabled and may have to ask strangers for help. Without accessible voting machines some disabled voters have to have poll workers help them fill out a paper ballot. While most poll workers are discret about who the person is voting for not all are. Lolly Liejewski a blind woman from St. Paul, Minnesota said that the last time she voted she had to have an election judge from each party help her fill out her ballot. One proceeded to read her the ballot and mark her votes as the others watched. She said they read her responses out loud after she had told them her votes in front of everyone in the poll at the time. This takes away a privilege that able-bodied persons take for granted, a confidental vote.

If I am chosen as Miss Wheelchair America 2008 I will work with government officials to correct this oversight and encourage other disabled women to join me in the fight for our right to vote. If we don't fight for our right to vote no one else is going to do it for us.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and respond to this post.

[itsjustme]

Hi,

I live here in Indiana too. I voted absentee in the last election to keep from going to the polling place because the last time that I went to the poll I couldn't see the voting machine from my angle in my wheelchair and no one was allowed to help me. There should be accessible voting machines as well as totally accessible voting places.

Good luck!

[Joed]

First of all....Congratulations!! I know you'll do great...and I'm proud to have a fellow Hoosier representing and championing the female disabled population on such an important topic.

I have not missed a vote since I turned 18 in '76...I did have to vote absentee a couple of times, but like you've said, it's a bit of a hassle and something of the sense of community is lost in the process. Our voting poll location (a church, now being rebuilt after a tornado completely destroyed it) was w/c accessible, lots of room inside too, but the voting machines are all too high for someone in a w/c. (Reminds me of the old rhyme: Mother dear, mother dear, may I go swimming? Yes, my darling daughter...hang your clothes on a hickory stump, but don't go near the water!)

Your speech sounds good to me. I think the topic is thought-provoking...something most people probably haven't thought much about before...if ever. I think they'll be surprised by the numbers...I was.

Wishing you all the best. Remember to imagine them all in their underwear.

[hisamsmith]

Joed and Itsjustme,

Thank you for your comments. I hope to make my home state proud (my family have been Hoosiers since before Indiana was a state). I orginally planned to write a speech about voting and if handicap citizens don't vote then handicap services cease to exist. However when I saw the sats on handicap women who vote compared to ab women I knew I had to focus on that.

I am lucky that everytime I have voted (I waited to vote until 2004 I wanted to vote for the first time in a presidential election) the machines were wheelchair accessible. I called ahead to make sure they were accessible.

After the pageant is over I am in charge of starting an Indiana Miss Wheelchair Pageant program and if at all possible I may need Hoosier judges. If you are interested let me know.

Thanks again, Samantha

[nomis]

Hi hisamsmith
Good on yah.
A minor suggestion, in your second paragraph you've got lots of big numbers that may be awkward to read and difficult for your audience absorb.
You could round out some of the numbers eg 46,898,974 American citizens could become "nearly 47 million".
But, more importantly, go for what's comfortable with you.
Best of luck and make it fun.

[studinchair]

i would be a judge for sure i could take care of the nw part of indiana.....what day do i start....lol
gary

[Joed]

hisamsmith, on Jun 25 2007, 12:03 AM, said:

After the pageant is over I am in charge of starting an Indiana Miss Wheelchair Pageant program and if at all possible I may need Hoosier judges. If you are interested let me know.

I'd be interested in participating, so keep me in mind.

[hisamsmith]

Joed and Studinchair,

I will keep you in mind when I start setting up the Miss Wheelchair Indiana Pageant. I actually ended up going to the national pageant because I was the only person who contacted them from Indiana and filled out all the paperwork. I hope you'll be able to participate in some way in our state's program. Just in my research for the pageant I have learned a lot about my home state and my family and their role in our state (My ancestors include the first governor of Indiana and Indian cheifs).
Samantha

[ParaforGod]

hisamsmith,
Congrats and I know you will do well.

[gsp23]

nomis, on Jun 24 2007, 07:14 PM, said:

Hi hisamsmith
Good on yah.
A minor suggestion, in your second paragraph you've got lots of big numbers that may be awkward to read and difficult for your audience absorb.
You could round out some of the numbers eg 46,898,974 American citizens could become "nearly 47 million".
But, more importantly, go for what's comfortable with you.
Best of luck and make it fun.

Agreed... there are a few other numbers in that same paragraph and the exact numbers as listed take something away from the speach and take away from a natural flow. Otherwise I agree it sounds good.

I have voted in all elections as well and I vote in a very small town hall. Luckily it has been modified so there is a ramp that goes around the back, although they didnt completely think that through cause you have to go over grass to get to the ramp I was able to do it but could pose a problem for others. Anyways the town hall is a very old building and used to be a one room school house and is something like 150 yrs old. So considering everything its pretty well modified. However, there is one issue I have found... in the standing booths there is a curtain that goes behind the person for privacy, there is on sitting booth and the rest of the sittin positions are tables in the middle of the room... no privacy, plus the booths are so small I couldnt get a chair into there anyways and still get the curtain closed behind me. Then when I do pull up to the tables they have sides on them so I cant pull up to the table normally and instead have to park sideways next to it cause there is no room under it for legs to go. But I still make it out there, minor inconveniences to me for the ability to vote at least!