October 2024 Meeting

Meeting Date
  • Opening quotation 
    • “Centering those of us who live- comfortably or uncomfortably, willingly or forcibly- with disabled as part of our identities and experiences means treating all people regardless of how our brains or bodies work, as worthy of love and care… Disability justice allows us to embrace weakness, vulnerability, frailty, and imperfection.” - Lydia X. Z. Brown 
  • Agenda 
    • Invited Guest : Winter McLeod - Disability Culture @ U-M Facilitator
    • Accessible voting guide 
      • Short guide to help disabled people vote
        • 2 ways to vote by mail:
          • Paper Ballot
          • Electronic Absentee ballot for voters with print disabilities or people who cannot leave their homes
        • Early voting in Michigan
        • Why to vote by mail?
          • Ability to vote from home
          • Avoid lines and crowds
        • Why vote in person?
          • Additional help at polling site
          • Don’t have to wait to receive or have your ballot received.
        • How to get your ballot?
          • Request by mail
          • Go to pick up a ballot
        • Electronic Ballot 
          • If voting absentee you need a printer
          • In person you can vote electronically without a printer
        • Steps to vote by mail:
          • 1. Request an absentee ballot. It can take up to 30 days for this to arrive. An Absentee ballot can be requested for any reason but is not guaranteed to be granted.
          • 2. Fill the ballot out and sign it.
            • For digital ballots you fill it out digitally and then print it out to sign it.
          • 3. Put it in your mailbox, drop it off at your polling location, or drop it off at your local clerk's office.
            • Allow 7 days for your ballot to be received and counted.
        • Steps to vote in person
          • 1. Determine your voting site
            • Early voting options may be limited
          • 2. Plan transportation to the site
          • 3. Vote. 
            • All voting sites must offer early voting for nine consecutive days ending on the Sunday before the election. This year this means October 26th to November. Some sites may offer voting earlier
        • Voter assist terminals are available to all voters
        • For other accessibility tips talk to your city or county clerk
        • All polling sites have the option of curbside voting
        • Anyone other than polling site workers, your boss, and your union boss is allowed to help you mark your in-person or absentee ballots.
          • You can always use a stamp or mark as long as it matches your voter registration
        • You can get a sample ballot in advance and bring that or notes with you to vote
        • If you are registered for electronic or paper absentee voting for life, voting in person will reset this
        • You are entitled to vote from a group home or psychiatric ward and social workers are allowed to help you vote
      • Review contents of guide
      • Participants questions and comments:
        • Poll workers are often not well trained on how accessible on-site machines work.
        • So every polling location in the state offers Voter Assist Terminals?
          • That is correct.
          • Not every poll worker will realize they have these terminals but they are there.
        • There are many brands of "accessible" machines out there, and some may not work reliably.
          • In Michigan there may be a standardization of machines. 
        • People often don’t know how to use it or help people to use it. 
        • One of the things I keep thinking while working on this project is that we need resources beyond just informing the voters. There are not standard training processes in place to help with these sorts of things. This is a good thing to do in the future. 
      • Winter poses a few questions:
        • Does anyone know about a way to request a paper ballot so it comes on time if you are requesting it late?
          • An electronic ballot can be requested by 5:00pm the Friday before election day. 
        • Sometimes it is hard to get in touch with the city township or clerk. What would be a good alternative? Does anyone have any experience? 
      • Winter is going to finalize the documents she created and share them with the group. They can be shared widely. Anyone is welcome to reach out to Winter directly with questions: [email protected]
      • More resources: 

 

  • Other Matters Arising 
    • Announcement of Melissa Sreckovic as the new CfDC Co-Chair
      • Melissa is an Associate Professor of Special Education at The University of Michigan in Flint. She is also the Director of the Honors Program.
  • Announcements
    • James T. Neubacher Award winner will be announced soon.
    • Everyone is invited to “Toward an Anti-ablest Academy” 
    • Center for Disability for Health and Wellness will be hosting the Fifth Annual Disability Research Symposium, hosted by the Center for Disability Health and Wellness. Feel free to share: https://umich.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e8TAokcndGLI7SC
    • There is still time to register for the Disability Equity Office's NDEAM Events throughout October via Sessions: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/11701
    • Events happening today:
      • How to Tell if You’re Disabled
      • Standing on Water
    • AARP is doing a walk audit in Ann Arbor and they may be coming around campus. If anyone wants to participate it will be on October 24th. 
    • Anything to share with the Council?