Sequoia Voting Systems Offers Many of New York’s Disabled Voters a Milestone: Their First Chance to Cast an ‘Independent, Private’ Vote in a General Election

New York State’s community of disabled voters next week will get their first opportunity to cast votes in a general election that meets a long-standing goal of disabled Americans and their advocates: an opportunity for all voters to have their say in the civic square privately and independently.

Sequoia Voting Systems, a leading national election technology provider founded more than a century ago in Jamestown, New York, has provided 53 of New York’s 62 counties with new ballot-marking devices (BMDs) that are being put in place as part of New York State’s effort to comply with the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002.

“For many New Yorkers, the Sequoia ImageCast machine is a dream come true,” said Jack A. Blaine, CEO of Sequoia Voting Systems. “This will be their opportunity to go to polls and cast truly private, independent ballots. Making this possible is a core goal of HAVA and Sequoia is proud to be helping New York reach this important public-policy goal in an efficient and cost-effective manner.”

The Sequoia ImageCast machine, which Sequoia developed in collaboration with Dominion Voting Systems exclusively for New York State, includes both the ballot-marking device that is being deployed Nov. 4 for the first time in a general election and a separate optical scanning system for tabulating votes. Only the BMD is in use this year. The tabulating system is expected to be deployed in next year’s election pending certification by New York State Board of Elections (BOE).

Sequoia’s outreach efforts: Sequoia Voting Systems has been working closely with local and state election officials and the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) community to ensure that the Sequoia ImageCast voting machine meets the needs of ADA voters in New York and complies with state rules and regulations. To date, Sequoia has provided machine demonstrations to all election commissioners in New York State and continues to offer other demonstrations upon request.

Sequoia has retained Susan Cohen, a long-time advocate for the disabled, as a consultant to serve as its liaison with the disabled-voter community in New York State. Her interactions with the disabled-voter community include dozens of focus groups, and much of the feedback from these interactions has led directly to improvements to the Sequoia ImageCast.

How the ballot-marking device works: The system includes a number of interfaces that allow voters with different disabilities to use the machine.

Tactile interfaces allow voters with mobility and physical challenges to complete their ballots. A paddle and a “sip-and-puff” interface are available for voters with little or no hand dexterity to assist them in navigating the ballot.

Voters with visual impairments and literacy challenges can listen to voting selections over headphones, or view a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen with an image of their ballot that can be adjusted for size and contrast.

New York State election officials have certified that the Sequoia ImageCast complies with both its election laws and HAVA.

The Sequoia advantages: The Sequoia system in New York offers local election officials a number of advantages:
Because the Sequoia ImageCast includes both the ballot-marking device and the optical scanner for tabulating votes in future years, it is a more efficient and less expensive option for New York’s elections.
The machine also costs less to transport, to set up and to store, and it requires less time and money for both programming and training.
The Sequoia ImageCast for New York is built, serviced, and programmed in New York State. All told, Sequoia Voting Systems and the Sequoia ImageCast account for many permanent jobs for New Yorkers – at manufacturing facilities in Ogdensburg, Oswego, and Long Island, at the Sequoia facility in Jamestown, and at its printing partner in Rochester.

About Sequoia Voting Systems (www.sequoiavote.com) – Sequoia Voting Systems is an American election technology company with major offices in Denver, Colorado; Jamestown, New York and Oakland, California with over a 100-year history of providing accurate, reliable and innovative voting solutions dating back to the nation’s first lever-based mechanical voting equipment in the 1890s. Sequoia provides comprehensive election technology products, customized training options, ballot layout and printing services and complete implementation and support programs to its state and local government customers throughout the United States. Sequoia’s product suite is includes a comprehensive election management system, precinct-based optical scan voting units, high-speed central count optical scan ballot readers, and full-face and paginating touch screen electronic voting equipment with optional printers that produce voter verified paper records. Sequoia’s voting equipment is currently used by hundreds of jurisdictions throughout 17 states and the District of Columbia.

Contacts

Sequoia Voting Systems
Matt Maguire, 518-618-1506
mmaguire {at} mower(.)com