MNCDHH sends notification to campaign candidates
9/25/2018 9:17:48 AM
Dear Candidate Community Member,
As the General Election approaches, the Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing would like to remind you of the legal requirements to make your campaign videos and radio ads accessible to the 20% of the electorate with varying degrees of hearing loss. Nearly two-thirds of the elderly population are in this demographic.
Not only is it law, but it will also allow candidates, such as yourself, to increase the number of voters who will access and understand your advertisements.
Minnesota Statutes 10A.38 requires legislative candidates who agree to spending limits to make their ads accessible as follows:
“A campaign advertisement that is disseminated as an advertisement by broadcast or cable television must include closed captioning for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers unless the candidate has filed with the board before the advertisement is disseminated a statement setting forth the reasons for not doing so.”
“A campaign advertisement that is disseminated as an advertisement to the public on the candidate's Web site must include closed captioning for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers, unless the candidate has posted on the Web site a transcript of the spoken content of the advertisement or the candidate has filed with the board before the advertisement is disseminated a statement setting forth the reasons for not doing so.”
“A campaign advertisement must not be disseminated as an advertisement by radio unless the candidate has posted on the candidate's Web site a transcript of the spoken content of the advertisement or the candidate has filed with the board before the advertisement is disseminated a statement setting forth the reasons for not doing so.”
You can find more information and resources for making your ads accessible on our website at Candidate Campaign Ads: Captioning is the Law.
Please let us at the Commission know if you have questions or need additional information.
Our email address is mncdhh.info@state.mn.us.
Taking this step will demonstrate that you want to communicate with this demographic group. Not surprisingly, deaf and hard of hearing individuals have told us that they have an improved perception of the candidates who have captioned campaign advertisements and are more inclined to vote for these candidates.
Thank you in advance for making your campaign messages accessible to Minnesotans who are deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing.
Sincerely,
Mary Hartnett
Executive Director
Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing
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