I. The "All Maine Votes" Candidate Forum,
The Candidate's Forum will be held on Monday, September 25 at the St. Paul's Center in Augusta from 1 to 5 in the afternoon. The St. Paul’s Center is located at 136 State Street, Augusta.
As you will recall, AMV extended invitations to attend this forum to all gubernatorial candidates as well as to State House leadership and candidates who are running for Federal office this year.

As of today, the candidates who have agreed to attend are: for governor, Governor John Baldacci, Patricia Lamarch and Representative Barbara Merrill. For U.S. Senate, the Candidates attending are William Slavick and Jean Hay Bright. For candidates running in the First Congressional District contest we have Congressman Tom Allen, Rep. Darleen Curley and Dexter Kamilewicz.
State House leadership that has agreed to attend thus far is John Eder (Green) and Josh Tardy (GOP).

II. Election Officials Trainings
As we move closer to the election the DRC will be assisting the Secretary of State's office in its election official trainings. Our role is to dispell myths and misconceptions about individuals with a disability and provides guidance and training in areas such as people first language and the best way to assist a disabled voter who may need to ask an official for assistance on Election Day. Some of these training sessions will be videotaped for distribution and replay to officials that were unable to attend one of the many live regional trainings.
As of today, there were 15 such regional trainings scheduled and there may be more if needs and scheduling priorities require them.

III. Voter's rights and education
The second part of the DRC's voter outreach project is to go out to as many organizations that work with disabled individuals throughout the state as possible before the general election for informational meetings. At each meeting there are three sections planned. One is to discuss voter rights in Maine and, if needed, the State's complaint process and procedure. The second section is to demonstrate and encourage test use of the new accessible voting system that Maine has purchased for the election. This new system is the Inspire Vote by Phone system. A representative of the Secretary of State's office will be at each session to answer any questions about it.
As usual, we will stand by to answer any questions of a general nature as well.
The third section is to offer on-the-spot voter registration for those who may not yet be registered, and would like to do so.

IV. Candidate Questionnaires
As you will recall questionnaires oriented towards both State and Federal candidates were mailed to all 518 candidates who are registered with the Secretary of State's elections office. Those questionnaires are being returned to us by the candidates in increasing numbers. As soon as we are able to open everything up and organize that information in an electronic format and get it posted, we will notify everyone where it is so that you can read through what the candidates had to say about those important issues.

It is going to be a very busy time as we run up to this landmark November 7. For the first time in the History of the United States those of us with a disability will come as close to being able to vote the same way as those who are not disabled that modern technology has been able to provide. Nationwide it is estimated that there are 35 million individuals with a disability of voting age. We can make a difference in our lives, but only if our voices are heard through our votes.
I am certainly looking forward to voting independently for the first time in over 30 years. I hope to see you at the poles.

(Ross Doerr is currently working for Maine’s Disability Rights Center on the "All Maine Votes" project. Editor)

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