Jennifer Levin Senior Attorney Disability Law Colorado I Vote Too! Jennifer Levin Senior Attorney Disability Law Colorado

Agenda Disability Law Colorado – Colorado’s Protection and Advocacy Organization Vote! Program Voting Rights Issues in Long Term Care Residential Facilities Signature Matching Issues Capacity to Vote Collaboration with Colorado’s Ethics Committees on Aging Vivage El Paso and Teller County I Vote Too! Project Outreach AMDA Conference

Disability Law Colorado Colorado’s Protection and Advocacy Organization Investigations into allegations of abuse and neglect Individual Advocacy – Complaints alleging civil rights violations based on disability discrimination Legislative Action Outreach and Trainings Systemic Impact Work Monitoring

Vote! Program at Disability Law Colorado PAVA Program – funded under the Help America Vote Act (“HAVA”) Assist voters in filing HAVA complaints Work with election officials to ensure an accessible voting process Work with the Secretary of State on rulemaking and legislative action Protect the rights of voters with disabilities through individual and systemic advocacy Photo ID requirements Accessible voting equipment Accessible mail ballot process Accessible Voting Service and Polling Centers (“VSPC”) Vote! Program at Disability Law Colorado

Voting Rights Issues in Long Term Care Facilities Signature Matching Capacity

Signature Matching Changing Signatures Curing the Signature Age Millennials People over the age of 60 Disability Memory Loss Curing the Signature Bi-partisan election judge team determines the match Cure card is mailed to the voter Cure card mailed back to the election office within 7 days of election day

Capacity to Vote In Colorado, there are no restrictions to the right to vote based on capacity. How can you tell if a person has the ability to vote and should be given the opportunity to cast a ballot: Demonstrates the intent to vote Can direct their preference for their vote on the ballot If the voter cannot articulate their intent and preference, a provider or caretaker should NOT vote for that person. In Colorado, a guardian does not have the right to disenfranchise a voter A presumption that a person cannot vote due to disability = discrimination If a person with a disability needs assistance to vote, that person has the right to assistance from any person that they choose – except for a union representative or employer The only way to take away a person’s right to vote in Colorado Court order specifically stating that the person no longer has the right to vote

Colorado’s Ethics Committees on Aging Long Term Care Community Ethics Committee at Vivage – Lakewood, CO Chair Fred Feinsod, M.D. C.M.D. El Paso and Teller County Community Ethics Committee Co- Chairs Scott Bartlett, Lead Ombudsman El Paso and Teller Counties

I Vote Too! Collaborative Effort with Disability Law Colorado and the Community Ethics Committees Outreach Efforts American Medical Directors Association Conference in 2020

Contact Information Jennifer Levin Senior Attorney Disability Law Colorado jlevin@disabilitylawco.org 303-722-0300 Disabilitylawco.org