“As someone living with MS, it is extremely important for me to give my 2 cents — voting does that. Whether it’s local or state or federal, I feel powerful because I’m addressing the issues that are facing me,” says Katie.
In New Mexico, Katie has had the opportunity to use both paper and electronic ballots and shares why the electronic ballots have helped her. “Imagine having to fully fill-in a circle to cast your ballot: the fatigue has already hit, the small #2 pencil is hard to grip… You’re told it’s not filled-in fully. With electronic versions you are able to touch the buttons to cast your vote and review your choices with large fonts before hutting the large ‘vote’ button,” says Katie.
When Katie heads to Santa Fe for her State Action Day each year, she adds one extra request for her elected official: make all polling places accessible. But her work does not end there. Katie advises, “Contact your selected officials. Start at the bottom and work your way up until you are having coffee with the President. Advocacy takes a long time and it can be discouraging at times, but try, because you will never get anything done by sitting back and waiting. You have a voice, you have to do something, and you have to start somewhere. Why not now?”
Join Katie in her
passion for accessible voting.