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Colorado Springs Independence Center

 

     Students from BtL watch a presentation about My Vote Matters! A man presents and an interpreter signs to the students.        A man, student and an interpreter stand in front of group of students.

Students in the Bridges to Life Transition Program visited the Colorado Springs Independence Center today, where El Paso County Clerk and Recorder Steve Schleiker spoke to them about voter accessibility in the county. One student inquired about the possibility of embossing ballots with braille. Mr. Schleiker explained that while the ADA Accessible Voting Machines have accessible audio options, there are also ongoing discussions at the state and federal levels regarding accessibility measures, including braille ballots.  The absence of ASL translations on the local voter website was also raised as a concern. Mr. Schleiker committed to working with Ben Chittenden, the Deaf specialist from the Independence Center, to address this issue promptly. Overall, the students witnessed advocacy in action and appreciated Mr. Schleiker’s responsiveness to their questions and concerns.