The Jawonio Advocacy Group, dedicated to helping people with special needs, hosted a voter outreach event at Jawonio Tech in New Hempstead yesterday.
Representatives from the Rockland Board of Elections were on hand to demonstrate how to use the new high-tech voting machines for adults with disabilities.
"It gives us a sense of independence, and it gets us to prove that we can have a say in our government," says Joseph Treutle, of Jawonio.
Before the introduction of the new voting system, many disabled people voted by absentee ballot, but the new machines allow those with special needs to vote by themselves with no assistance at the polls.