Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee (VAAC)
About
As a committee under the Secretary of State, the Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee (VAAC) is responsible for making recommendations for improving access to voting and election materials.
The VAAC is designed to advise, assist, and provide recommendations to the Secretary of State's office as to how voters with disabilities can vote independently and privately. The State's VAAC members have been influential in assisting with numerous projects, including the production of Polling Place Accessibility Guidelines. They have helped raise awareness of disability issues through their involvement in the development of the Voter Accessibility Survey and production of the Polling Place Accessibility Surveyor Training Videos.
November 6, 2018 – General Election Survey
Please click the link below to take the survey to share your experience on Election Day. If you have any questions, please contact me directly at (916) 695-1657 or kchaney@sos.ca.gov. Thank you for your cooperation.
November 6, 2018 - General Election Survey
Meetings
The next meeting of the VAAC:
Date: Wednesday, December 5, 2018
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Location:
Secretary of State
2nd Floor Boardroom
1500 11th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Agenda will be posted 10 days prior to meeting date.
Contact
Secretary of State's Office
Kathyrn Chaney, VAAC Coordinator
916-695-1657
KChaney@sos.ca.gov
To subscribe to meeting notices, ask questions, or give comments, the committee can be reached at the VAAC email address, vaac@sos.ca.gov, or by postal mail at
VAAC
1500 11th Street, Floor 5
Sacramento, CA 95814
Current Members
Appointed members serving from 2017-2019
- Tim McNamara
- Assistant Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk
- Los Angeles County RRCC
- Jacob Lesner-Buxton
- Independent Living Resource Center
- Santa Barbara, CA
- Fred Nisen
- Supervising Attorney for Voting Rights
- Disability Rights California
- Sarah Funes
- Vote Everywhere Ambassador
- UC Berkeley Andrew Goodman Foundation
- Timothy Michael Yeager
- Director of Client Services and Programs / Faculty
- Easter Seals Central California / Fresno State
- Kimberly Ocampo
- Garden Grove, CA
- Gail L. Pellerin
- County Clerk
- Santa Cruz County
- Larry D. Smith
- Elections Technician Supervisor
- Riverside County Registrar of Voters
- Courtney Bailey
- Election Manager
- Sacramento County Elections
- Lindsie Verma
- Redwood City, CA
- Janet L. Bell
- Auburn, CA
Committee Responsibilities
The VAAC is responsible under law for a number of objectives. VAAC members lead working groups in order to complete projects that accomplish committee goals. For more information about a project or working group, or to learn about how you can get involved, email vaac@sos.ca.gov.
The VAAC is responsible for working on:
- Guidelines for reaching voters with disabilities
- Recommendations for improving the availability and accessibility of election materials
- Distribution of public service announcements
- Recommendations about web accessibility
- Promoting the voter hotlines
- Promoting the state and local library services for voters with disabilities
- Recommendations for improving access and participation
- Promotion of plain language and alternative formats
- Recommendations for pollworker training
Local VAACs
Local elections officials are encouraged to develop local voting accessibility advisory groups or Local VAACs. The SOS is currently surveying counties to see which have active advisory groups.
County Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee Toolkit (PDF)
This toolkit offers guidelines and practices to help county elections offices establish a VAAC and create a meaningful and helpful role for it to serve voters with specific needs in your community.