WHEREAS, the 97th Congress is debating the extensions of the Voting
Rights Act of 1965;
WHEREAS, in many jurisdictions of our country, the voting rights of blind persons are jeopardized by election policies which require supervision of blind voters by election officials;
WHEREAS, this practice infringes upon and violates the right of every blind person to cast a secret ballot – a right which is recognized and guaranteed for all other Americans of voting age;
WHEREAS, the right to cast a secret ballot can best be preserved and safeguarded for blind voters by allowing them freedom of choice in obtaining assistance in the polling booth, without supervision of election officials;
WHEREAS, this practice has proven to be satisfactory wherever it is in use in our country, yet Federal election laws remain silent on this point; and
WHEREAS, amending the Voting Rights Act to provide blind persons the right to a free choice in obtaining voting assistance is a desirable national solution to the problem: Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of
Maryland assembled this 1st day of November, 1981, in the City of
Grantsville, Maryland, that we urge Senator Charles (Mack)
Mathias, Chief Senate Sponsor of S895, Voting Rights Act Amendments to include protection of the rights of blind voters in this bill when it is considered in the Senate.