New Law Will Allow Oklahoma Voters Who Are Blind To Vote Electronically

A new law will expand voting access to more Oklahomans. 

“It will be in place for the next presidential election which we hope that everyone will turn out and vote,” said Jody Harlan, the Communications Director with the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitations Services. 

House Bill 1711 will allow legally blind Oklahomans to cast their ballot electronically from home. The man we spoke to says it will allow him the right to vote privately and independently. 

“We’re really happy that Representative Brian Hill and Senator Paul Rosino got this going for us. We worked very closely with the County Election Board Rusty Clark to get this going,” said Jay Doudna, who is legally blind and resides in Oklahoma City. 

The legislation allows electronic ballots and balloting materials to Oklahomans who are legally blind. 

“It will take about a year, till about July 2023, to work out the process and inform the voters on how it will function, and it will use the current absentee ballot process,” said Harlan.  

Jay Doudna said just not having to worry about getting a ride to the polls is progress. 

“If we want to go to the polling place and vote, we have to find someone to drive us there, that is always an issue. Even if we get a member of our party to take us there, they still have to take us there and wait for us and drive us back,” he said. 

Currently it takes him over an hour to cast his vote. 

“When we go to the polling place there is an electronic thing about this size that has a wheel on it. We turn the wheel and we put the headphones on, and it tells us things, it will say ‘Governor vote for one,’” he said. 

“Which gives them a sense of privacy but sometimes we have reported problems about the equipment not working or despite training some people not knowing how to use it,” said Harlan. 

The Department of Rehabilitation Services said there are more than 73,000 Oklahomans with visual impairments who are registered to vote.