How to navigate the polls as a voter with a disability

A new report from the Rutgers Program on Disability Research estimates that 40.2 million people with disabilities will be eligible to vote in November. This represents a 5.1% increase from 2020, largely due to an aging population and medical advances that have extended the lives of people with disabilities.

“People with disabilities are the sleeping tiger in American politics,” he said Lisa Schur, Drco-director of the Disability Research Program at Rutgers University. “They represent a large and growing part of the electorate and could make a critical difference to the outcome of this and future elections.”

According to the report, the most common disability is mobility impairment, followed by cognitive impairment, hearing impairment and visual impairment. Schur noted that many people have multiple disabilities, leading to overlap between groups.

Voters with disabilities make up a larger share of the electorate (40.2 million) than Hispanic/Latino voters (35.7 million) or black voters (31.1 million). Additionally, 7.1 million voters with disabilities live in key battleground states, including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

While voting by mail during the COVID-19 pandemic has improved accessibility for voters with disabilities, recent laws in several states could make voting more difficult, according to Schur.

How to navigate disability voting

The first step for any voter to participate in an election is to make sure you are registered to vote. While some states have completed registration for the 2024 presidential election, others have same-day registration, said Michelle Bishopmanager of voter access and engagement at the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) in Washington, DC.

If you are already registered but need to update your information, such as a change of name or address, you may still be able to vote. Registration deadlines by state can be found on National Conference of State Legislatures website.

Bishop added that the right to vote includes people with cognitive disabilities.

“US election law doesn’t really define cognitive disability,” Bishop said. “Even if you have a diagnosis of disability or live in a psychiatric or residential facility, you are still eligible to vote, although states may have more restrictive criteria.”

She noted that most states have laws that restrict voting rights based on the voter’s “competence,” but usually a judge would have to make that decision. NDRN provides a guide to voting with cognitive disabilities that can help individuals and carers.

Bishop said the NDRN has received reports of disabled voters being turned away from polling stations. In these cases, a poll worker cannot challenge a voter’s eligibility based on his or her disability.

“We also sometimes hear of a person with a disability who brings the assistant of their choice to help them vote, which is their right under the Voting Rights Act, and they are denied that assistant,” Bishop said. “Right now, a voter can always contact our state affiliate in their state or Voter Protection — either ready to help on the day and make sure you can vote.”

Bishop said anyone with a disability who wants to vote should think about these steps in the voting process:

1. Am I registered and is my registration up to date? (check through the NCSL website or through vote.gov)
2. Will I vote in person early or on Election Day or vote by mail?
3. What is on my ballot?
4. Where is my survey site and is that location accessible to me?
5. How will I get there and back?
6. What type of ID do I need? (You should receive this information by mail or check vote.gov for information about your status)
7. I need an assistant and who do I think could best help me?

“We think thinking about all of this before Election Day can alleviate stress and prevent unwanted surprises on Election Day,” Bishop said. “Additionally, if you vote by mail or plan to vote early, plan early and put it into action early.”

Tips for voting on election day

If you need assistance on Election Day, call the Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).

According to the American Civil Liberties Union, here’s what you can do on your survey site:

• You can bring a family member or friend to help you at the polls, but let poll workers know when you check in. They may ask you to swear under oath that you have a disability and that you have applied for help. Your helper may also need to sign a form swearing not to influence the vote.
• If it’s difficult to sit in long lines, ask a poll worker for a chair or a place to sit while you wait. If the crowd or noise is overwhelming, you can request a quiet waiting area.
• If your survey site is not fully accessible, ask for help on board. In some states, a poll worker can bring your voting materials to your car so you don’t need to go inside.
• If you have difficulty using the materials provided to make your choice, review, or vote, let a poll worker know and ask for the help you need.

You can find more voting resources at bowa disability advocacy group.

How to improve voting accessibility for people with disabilities

Social isolation is probably the biggest factor affecting voter turnout for people with disabilities, according to Schur.

“People with disabilities are less likely to be part of social networks that encourage them to vote,” Schur said. “People with disabilities are also somewhat more likely than people without disabilities to believe that the political system is unresponsive to people like them, which can discourage someone from voting.”

Schur said her research group’s surveys show significant progress has been made since 2012 in reducing barriers to voting, although many disabled voters may not be aware of the improvements.

At the same time, some states “have scaled back policies that facilitated voting during the pandemic, and these restrictions may particularly affect people with disabilities,” she added.

Bishop said most voters “won’t have to jump through hoops to vote” and emphasized that voters with disabilities and their vote matter.