August 25, 2026
From the Editor
We’re back! BayLines Express and BSCB in general took the month of July off due to the American Council of the Blind National Convention. This year’s conference ran from July 13 to the 31st starting with a virtual week and then transitioning into hybrid programming with in-person attendance in St. Louis, MO. This was my ninth ACB convention, but the first time I’ve attended as an ACB staff member. I enjoyed seeing friends and meeting new people, and getting to know my coworkers better. Overall I had a wonderful time, and I enjoyed having the opportunity to visit the Gateway Arch, the monument St. Louis is so famous for, which was also right across the street from the hotel. And, as usual, I loved exploring the convention’s exhibit hall, seeing new tech and making new connections.
Don’t forget about our blog! You can read member spotlight articles and all past member-submitted articles to BayLines Express by going to https://acbofma.org/blog. Blog posts are ordered newest to oldest, and there are several of them per page. Each individual post’s title is a link that will take you to the full body of text.
If you would like to contribute information or comment on ways to improve BayLines Express, please contact Dianna Leonard at newsletter@acbofma.org. And if you have an idea for a monthly article and would like to contribute your writing, please contact Myra Ross at newsletter@acbofma.org. The newsletter mailbox is shared between Myra and Dianna.
News from the Board
The board last met on August 9, and all members were present, in addition to several members. We welcomed our American Council of the Blind board liaison Rachel Schroeder of Illinois, who will be assisting us in completing the ACB affiliate score card. This tool will enable us to evaluate our work in a variety of areas such as membership, communications, and fundraising.
Nona Haroyan and Shirley Dorris have been appointed as co-chairs to the newly formed convention committee. The board approved the date of Saturday, November 21, 2026, for this year’s fall conference, and the committee will evaluate the location for the event.
Carl Richahrdson will chair a task force on autonomous vehicles to promote advocacy for this important technology.
The next Bay State Council of the Blind virtual auction will be held on Friday, November 6, and members are encouraged to contribute items.
President Sharon will be reaching out to other New England affiliates to explore sharing resources and socializing together. She expressed thanks to the board for sponsoring her as delegate to the national convention, and thanked Mary Haroyan for her service as alternate.
An exploratory committee is being formed to consider the use of funds from Our Space Our Place. This organization focused on youth development, and the committee will consider such options as helping youth with technology, assisting other programs such as the Mass. Commission for the Blind internship program and the like.
The website development project is well under way, with Simon Miner and Kayla Bentas serving as designers, and Dianna Leonard and David Kingsbury as advisors.
On August 23, the board conducted a strategic planning session to map out avenues for fundraising and ways to use our current funds in accordance with our values and goals.
The next board meeting will take place on September 13.
Events Calendar
The next meeting of Blind and Visually Impaired User Group (VIBUG) will take place on Saturday, September 12, 2026 at 1:00pm via Zoom. Further information and how to join is listed at https://vibug.org/.
The next Perkins Library Without Walls will meet in September of 2026. To RSVP or listen to the upcoming LWW schedule, call the voice mailbox system at (617) 972-7852.
The next Third Thursday with the BSCB will take place on September 17 at 8:00 PM via Zoom. Join us as we hear from Caitlin Lee, ACB Development Officer, on the FreeWill platform. Please be sure to subscribe to our Announce List at bscb-announce+subscribe@acblists.org to stay up to date.
Below are landing page links for the MCB Rehabilitation Council (RC), and the MCB Statutory Advisory Board (SAB). You may want to bookmark them and check them often for time-sensitive entries. They contain details of upcoming events and meetings, recordings of recent meetings, and other relevant information.
RC landing page: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/mcb-rehabilitation-council
SAB landing page: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/mcb-statutory-advisory-board
News from the Web
An award-winning biologist from Harvard Medical School has recently retired, having advanced work on a “vision-threatening disease”, and passes the torch on to others in her field.
She studies cell lineage in the eye. Now she’s leaving research lineage of her own.
When we think of making shows or movies more accessible, we typically jump to audio description or closed captioning. But did you know there’s more and more media adding on-screen overlays of ASL interpreters? Netflix recently started doing this with kids’ titles. Both links below showcase this story.
Netflix Making Kids’ Shows More Accessible
Meet the 2 Utahns making Netflix more accessible for deaf kids
This July was the 36th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This article focuses on Judy Heumann, disability rights activist who spurred the 504 movement, and passed away a few years ago.
Judy Heumann: Tenacious Symbol
Accessible Voting Equipment Fairs: Having a Voice in What Comes Next
By Nona Haroyan, Chair, BSCB Advocacy Committee
During the week of August 10, the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s Office held a series of Accessible Voting Equipment Fairs across the Commonwealth. Fairs were held in Middleton, Northampton, Brockton, Watertown and Worcester, giving voters with disabilities and other members of the public an opportunity to try equipment that could potentially become the next generation of accessible voting technology in Massachusetts.
I attended the Worcester fair, and after weeks of advocating for Worcester to be included, it was especially gratifying to see it happen. Advocacy from members of the disability community also helped lead to Watertown and Worcester being added to the schedule. Seeing people come through the doors, try the equipment and share their opinions made all that effort worthwhile.
What struck me most was that this did not feel like a demonstration where vendors simply showed us their products. We were testing them. We were asking questions. We were finding things that worked well and things that didn’t. Most importantly, people were listening.
Four vendors participated in at least some of the fairs: Democracy Live, ES&S, Smartmatic and LHS. Because the LHS system would require many Massachusetts cities and towns to purchase new tabulators, I chose not to test that equipment. The other three systems are compatible with the universal tabulators already used in Massachusetts.
Democracy Live
The Democracy Live system impressed me with its modular approach. Much of the equipment consists of standard, off-the-shelf components, including an HP printer and tablet. That could be a significant advantage over the life of the equipment. If one component fails or needs replacement, the entire system would not necessarily need to be replaced.
Another thoughtful feature is a call button that allows a voter to request assistance from a poll worker.
There are areas that need improvement. When first using the equipment, important accessibility controls such as volume, speech rate and screen curtain are not as easy to locate as they should be. I also found the controller less intuitive than some of the others I tested.
What impressed me, however, was how Democracy Live responded to our feedback. Their representatives wanted to hear what we thought. When we suggested changes, they listened and seemed genuinely interested in making improvements. For me, that willingness to listen to the people who will actually use the equipment matters.
The system also uses a QR code to open the ballot rather than having the voter insert a ballot to begin. At first, I wondered whether that should be considered a negative. After thinking about the actual voting experience, I am not convinced that it is. A blind voter who needs assistance locating the accessible voting machine will already be accompanied to it by a poll worker, who can easily scan the code to begin the voting session. That voter may also need assistance locating the tabulator after completing the ballot.
Smartmatic
Smartmatic demonstrated two systems, the 100 and 500 models.
For me, the 100 model has a significant problem: it does not produce the same complete ballot used by other voters. Instead, it prints a record containing the voter’s selections. I believe voters using accessible equipment should be able to cast the same type of ballot as everyone else, so I could not support that option.
The 500 model offered a better experience, but presented a different concern. The ballot must be inserted into the device in a particular orientation. We learned that a physical indication, such as a slight tear, could be used to help a blind voter determine how to position it. That raises another equality concern. A blind or low-vision voter’s ballot should not have to look or feel different from everyone else’s ballot in order to use the accessible equipment.
Those concerns aside, I found Smartmatic’s actual voting interface very easy to use. The sound was good, the control pad was intuitive, and the larger buttons could be particularly helpful to voters with dexterity issues. Some of the instructions at the end of the voting process could be clearer, especially when it is time to print the ballot.
ES&S AutoMARK
Massachusetts voters have used AutoMARK equipment for approximately 20 years, so there is already considerable familiarity with ES&S and its equipment.
The newer AutoMARK is smaller, lighter and more streamlined than our current machines. Instead of controls built into the machine, it has a handheld controller. I found the controls easy to use and the overall voting process smooth.
My concern is the printer.
Ink cartridges can create problems when equipment sits unused for extended periods. An accessible voting machine might be used by someone early in the morning and then sit for hours before another voter needs it. If the cartridge dries out or a printing error occurs, election personnel may need to call someone from the city or town clerk’s office to replace the cartridge and reboot the machine.
Imagine being the voter waiting while that happens.
In Worcester, with 50 precincts and election officials dealing with any number of issues on Election Day, getting someone to a polling location could take time. As equipment ages, this concern becomes even greater. Accessible voting should provide independence, but it should also provide reliability.
More Than Testing Machines
One of my favorite parts of the Worcester fair was talking with other people who were testing the equipment. It was fun. We compared experiences, asked questions and shared our opinions. More importantly, we felt included.
Our voices mattered.
I also had a candid conversation with Bridget Murphy from the Secretary of State’s Office about how Massachusetts is approaching this decision and what purchasing new equipment could mean for individual cities and towns. One issue that is especially important to me is maintaining a statewide standard. Massachusetts currently has one accessible voting system across the Commonwealth. I believe there is real value in continuing to have one standard so that a voter can expect the same accessible voting experience regardless of where they live.
Bridget collected email addresses from participants and plans to send surveys seeking additional feedback, something she did throughout the week at the other fairs. She was clearly energized by the turnout across the Commonwealth.
I had worked with the Secretary of State’s Office to spread the word about the fairs to partners throughout the disability community, and seeing that participation was particularly rewarding. I was also grateful that requests to include Watertown and Worcester were heard and acted upon. It demonstrated what can happen when state officials and the disability community work together.
Looking Ahead
After testing the equipment in Worcester, my two strongest options are Democracy Live and the new ES&S AutoMARK, with a slight advantage going to Democracy Live.
The modular, off-the-shelf design is appealing from a long-term maintenance standpoint. More importantly, Democracy Live representatives listened closely to the accessibility feedback we provided and appeared willing to make changes. If improvements can be made to the controller, particularly making volume, speech rate and screen curtain controls easier to locate and use, I believe it could be a very strong option for Massachusetts.
No system I tested was perfect, and that is exactly why these fairs were important.
Accessible voting equipment should not simply allow a person with a disability to cast a ballot. It should allow us to vote privately, independently and with the same confidence and dignity as every other voter.
For one week in August, Massachusetts gave voters with disabilities an opportunity to help shape what that experience could look like for years to come.
I am grateful that we had a seat at the table, and I hope our voices continue to be heard as the Commonwealth makes this important decision.
BSCB Contact Information
Phone: (773) 572-6312
BSCB website: https://acbofma.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ACBOfMA/