WEST HARTFORD--Federal officials were on hand at polling locations in seven of Connecticut’s towns and cities.
Executives at The Arc Connecticut, which promotes and protects civil rights, say this is a good thing for voters with disabilities. There’s a new tablet for voters with disabilities that makes it easier to vote, allowing you to go back and make a correction if you make a mistake. It also makes the printed ballot look like others, so that voters' privacy is protected--in the past, the telephone-fax system printed a ballot that looked different and was therefore identifiable.
Executive Director Leslie Simoes says, “Anytime the Department of Justice is gonna come and make sure people with disabilities have access to polling places and making sure their rights are upheld, it's a great thing.”
FOX 61 spoke with 26-year-old Dan Fiorentino, the first voter at a West Hartford polling place to use the tablet.
“The last time, I had to write the vote down, and with the new touch screen, I can just touch it and it will print it from this new machine,” said Fiorentino.
Dan's mother, Sheila McClure, also tried out the tablet and loved it. McClure said, “It's an easier machine. It allows you to go back and correct if you made a mistake.”
Connecticut is one of 28 states being monitored by the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. Other towns include, East Hartford, Farmington, Hartford, Middletown, New Britain, and Newington are being monitored.
Simoes says, “I know especially in Connecticut, there are a number of complaints filed, so I'm assuming that's why they chose Connecticut.”
