Funds awarded to improve voter independence at polls
By JON HETZEL
The Fulton Sun   18 November 2005
  

Disabled residents in Callaway County will realize greater independence at the voting booth next year.

A $152,000 one-time, federal fund was awarded to assist the county in updating its voting equipment, especially for voters who need assistance at the polls.

?I hope this will bring more people out,? said county clerk, Linda Love. ?We have always made every effort to assist anyone with a handicap to come in to vote. This can only make it better.?

With $116,000 available specifically for disability-accessible voting material, the county will request bids on the Direct Recording Electronic machine. Love said the equipment will primarily help those that are blind.

?There are earphones for people to listen,? Love said. ?They will give everybody an opportunity - no matter what - to vote at the polls on election day.?

Voters who need assistance at the polls tend to rely on election judges, friends or family for help when filling out a ballot, Love said. This will be the first time accessible machines will be used in Callaway.

Every Missouri county received funding for the upgrade primarily based on the number of voting precincts. Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan said the new voting machines ensure the rights of all Americans.

?I'm pleased about being able to provide access for people to vote independently,? Carnahan said. ?That's an important part of democracy - the right to a private vote.?

The upgrades to the voting system are a result of the Help America Vote Act of 2002. Similar funding aided the county in purchasing and using its optical-scan voting machines in last April's city and school elections.

Love said the funding last year - $91,000 - did not completely pay for the optical-scan machines, but an additional $36,000 now available should cover the expense.

By law, counties are expected to have accessible voting at each polling place by Jan. 1, but Love is unsure if the county's 28 precincts will receive them in time for April's city and school elections. She said the county will begin taking bids in December for the machines.

?We have to have them by August for the federal election, but I'm not sure we'll have them for April,? Love said. ?It would be nice, but I might be dreaming.?

Because of Help America Vote Act requirements, Callaway still has disabled-accessible upgrades to make to its polling stations. Love said a lot of the sites are held in small buildings and there is no funding to make the changes.

?There are definitely things to do,? said Love, explaining wheelchair ramps are one of the items needed. ?The main thing to do is to find (sites) that are handicap accessible.?

Speaking for all the county officials, Love said it is wonderful to get financial help to meet federal voting regulations.

?So often when we are directed to do these things, there is no money given to do it, and the county cannot fund the new regulations,? she said.