Something big is happening in less than a month and it’s not Halloween. Although people love the goblins, vampires, pumpkins, and pumpkin spiced lattes; it’s something bigger and less fun. It’s Election Day. On Tuesday, November 5 everyone gets the chance for their voice to be heard.
This year, I had to receive an absentee ballot because I will be out of town on election day. It took me a bit of research on how to get my ballot, and then I had to be really careful about filling it in because any markings on the ballot which should not be there could void my vote! Also, my signature, correct address, and mailing date are important for my ballot to be counted. As I went through this process to make sure I did everything right, I wondered about our individuals with disabilities at CORE. Do they vote? Are there special accommodations for them to vote according to their disabilities? Who helps them through the process and, if they are being helped, how do we know it is fair? This is what I learned.
If anyone, including individuals with disabilities, have questions about voting, they should contact their local election offices. USA.GOV is a site where people can input their information to find the nearest election offices in their locations. Vote.gov also has many great resources if individuals with disabilities have specific needs to make it possible for them to vote. At the very least, people can just ask Siri or Google to help find the information. Some specific things I learned in my search made me feel confident that anyone who wants to vote, can.
Individuals with mental disabilities or blindness can vote in a number of ways. They can order absentee ballots including those in large print and/or braille to be sent to their homes and have friends or family members help them to fill out the ballots If they are unsure of the candidates they wish to vote for, it is the friends or family member’s duties to make fair and unbiased information regarding the candidates available to them. If the individual would prefer to experience in person voting at a poll location, they have two options to get help. They can have their family members accompany them to the booth or they may request poll workers to help them. In this case, two poll workers with different party affiliations will sign a form to accompany and to assist the individual with his/her ballot.
As for physical disabilities and for the elderly who may need assistance, all polling locations must meet the standards set forth in The Americans with Disabilities Act. These accommodations can be found at ada.gov and rest assured, they are extensive. They cover everything from special parking, building accessibility, special poll booths, seating, interpreters, service animals and more. To make sure all the standards are met, the ADA Centers and protection and Advocacy Systems have training available, see Voting and Polling Places, 12 Oct 2024.
Finally, we at CORE want our participants with disabilities to have the same freedoms we all have. An argument exists whether voting is a privilege or a right. I believe it is both. We encourage everyone to participate in this experience on Tuesday, November 5.
