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1. Name: Kelly Pierce  
2. Title: Co-founder, Digit-Eyes: The Chicago Blind Computer User Network

3. Voting Machines
Position:		 Pro to the question "Do electronic voting machines improve the voting process?"
4. Reasoning:

"While the electronic machines represent a significant advance in accessibility from the current poll worker assistance system they often fail to effectively communicate the voting process to audio voters or are physically designed in a way that does not meet the current consensus on accessible design as crafted by the technology industry, the disability community, and leading national government institutions. Fortunately, implementing fully accessible and highly usable voting technology for people with disabilities in order to cast a private, independent vote can be accomplished rather simply and easily through the modification or addition of audio prompts on some of the voting machines." ("Accessibility Analysis of Four Proposed Voting Machines," available at the VotersUnite website, March 23, 2005)

5. Credibility
Ranking:		  VIP/Organization/Other
Individuals and organizations that do not fit into the other star categories

6. Involvement:
  • Co-founder, Digit-Eyes: The Chicago Blind Computer User Network
  • Employee, Cook County State's Attorney's Office, Division of Seniors and Persons with Disabilities
  • Technical Editor, eSight, an online forum for disabled job seekers
  • Freelance technical writer
7. Education:
  • B.A., Journalism, Northern Illinois University
8. Relevant Affiliations/Honors:
  • None listed
9. Contact Info:
Phone: (312) 603-8647 Fax: Not listed
E-Mail: kellyjosef@earthlink.net
Web Site: None listed
10. Other: Select publications include:
  • "Evaluation of the Audio Interface Sequoia Voting Systems AVC Edge," available at the VotersUnite website, June 30, 2005
  • "Accessibility Analysis of Four Proposed Voting Machines," available at the VotersUnite website, March 23, 2005
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