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Independent Living News & Policy from the National Council on Independent Living

Disability Voting Rights

Information Alert: Opportunity to Partner with VoteRiders

As the 2022 Midterm elections approach, it is important for voters to know what they need to be able to cast their ballot. Each state has different laws and requirements for what type of voter identification voters need to bring with them to the polls. 

VoteRiders is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that works to ensure that all citizens are able to exercise their freedom to vote. They inform and help citizens to get the voter ID that they need to bring to the polls. They also provide free services to direct service providers, such as Centers for Independent Living, to help their consumers get voter ID.

Recently, VoteRiders created a 2022 Partner Toolkit for organizations who are conducting nonpartisan voter registration and education efforts. It details the ways that VoteRiders can help in these nonpartisan voter engagement efforts.

Some of the services that VoteRiders provides:

  • Voter ID Assistance: VoteRiders provides voters with logistical, legal, and financial support to secure voter ID.
  • Voter ID Clinics and Virtual Voter ID Support: VoteRiders can host a Voter ID clinic or share their services and contact information with your consumers. They are able to provide voters with one-on-one assistance to obtain documents and ID.
  • Voter ID Helpline and Chatbot: Voters can call or text 844-338-8743 at any time to reach the VoteRiders Voter ID Helpline. The Voter ID Chatbot is available via SMS or Facebook Messenger. These resources can provide free help to voters on obtaining voter ID.
  • Voter ID Info Cards: VoteRiders has pocket-sized guides to allow voters to quickly reference their state’s voter ID rules. These cards are available in English and Spanish for all 50 states and Washington, DC. They are free to download, and VoteRiders prints and ships physical cards to registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits at no cost.

To learn about other services VoteRiders provides, and to join the VoteRiders Coalition, visit http://voteriders.org/partner or email [email protected].

Free Webinar: Campaigning with a Disability

  • Monday, March 21 
  • 1:00-2:00 p.m. Eastern

We need more people with disabilities representing our communities in elected positions. But the process of running for an elected position can be inaccessible, intimidating, and unclear. Join this webinar to learn about the process of campaigning from people with disabilities who have done it!

This webinar is co-hosted by the REV UP Voting Campaign at the American Association of People with Disabilities and the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL). The webinar will include a presentation from Sarah Blahovec, Voting and Civic Engagement Director at NCIL.

This webinar will include ASL and live captioning. For additional accommodations or to request Spanish captions or audio, contact Lilian Aluri at [email protected] as soon as possible.

Happy Vote Early Day!

Today is Vote Early Day, a nonpartisan holiday created to help Americans know when, where, and how to vote early. In 2021, there are many elections happening across the country, in New Jersey, Virginia, and in many local communities. Election Day is November 2, 2021. If there is an election in your state or community, you might be able to vote early.

Is there an election happening in your community? Contact your local election official to learn about elections in your community and whether you can vote early.

If there is an election in your community this year, make a plan to vote! Use the “Plan Your Vote 2020 Toolkit” from the National Coalition on Accessible Voting to make a plan to vote this year.

Spread the word on social media! Use the hashtag #VoteEarlyDay to share if you are voting early this year. You can also use the hashtag #VoteReady to talk about your plan to vote.

One Week Away! Elevate: Campaign Training for People with Disabilities

Join us on Thursdays from October 14th to November 4th to learn the skills you need to run for elected office. Elevate: Campaign Training for People with Disabilities is a nonpartisan series of webinars bringing together campaign experts and elected officials to teach you how to run your first campaign. All webinars will have CART captioning and American Sign Language Interpreters.

If you cannot attend the live webinars, we will be recording and sharing each session. You will also have the opportunity to submit questions ahead of time so that we can answer them during the training.

You must be a member of NCIL to participate in this webinar series. Individual NCIL memberships are just $35 / year, and $10 / year for people ages 26 and under. NCIL does not turn anyone away for financial reasons. For dues waivers or reductions, contact Tim Fuchs at [email protected].

Course Schedule:

Introduction to Campaigns, Self and Opposition Research

Thursday, October 14, 2021

1:00 to 2:30 PM Eastern

Your Story. Your Campaign. Your Brand Online.

Thursday, October 14, 2021

3:30 to 5:00 PM Eastern

POWER Fundraising: 5 Keys to Raising Money Confidently and Effectively (Even If You’re a First-Time Candidate and Never Fundraised Before!)

Thursday, October 21, 2021

1:00 to 2:30 PM Eastern

Organizing Post Obama, Trump, and COVID

Thursday, October 21, 2021

3:30 to 5:00 PM Eastern

Harnessing Your Power to Advocate for Change

Thursday, October 28, 2021

1:00 to 2:30 PM Eastern

Fundamentals of Digital Media

Thursday, October 28, 2021

3:30 to 5:00 PM Eastern

Campaign Outreach Methods: Paid, Earned and Owned Media, Direct Mail, and Email Marketing

Thursday, November 4, 2021

1:00 to 2:30 PM Eastern

Thank you to our generous sponsors for making Elevate possible!

Run For Something Action Fund Logo

runforwhat.net

ActBlue Logo

Sign up for ActBlue

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Pennsylvania Representative Jessica Benham to Speak at Elevate 2021

The National Council on Independent Living is excited to announce our speakers and trainers for Elevate 2021! Elevate: Campaign Training for People with Disabilities will happen October 14th through November 4th, 2021. We will be joined by guest speakers including Massachusetts Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and Pennsylvania State Representative Jessica Benham. We will also hear from many people with disabilities about their own experiences with running for office, working on a campaign, and organizing. We will hear from Vilissa Thompson of Ramp Your Voice, Dom Kelly of Fair Fight Action, Tory Cross of Be a Hero, Atima Omara of Omara Strategy Group, and many more!

Join us for seven 90-minute, nonpartisan webinars on campaign topics led by experienced campaign trainers and guest speakers. Each webinar will have CART captioning and American Sign Language interpreters.

Register for Elevate 2021

Elevate 2021 Course Schedule

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It’s National Disability Voter Registration Week!

The week of September 13-20, 2021 is National Disability Voter Registration Week (NDVRW)! NDVRW was created by the REV UP Campaign to increase the political power of people with disabilities. The REV UP Campaign was created by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). NCIL is proud to be a partner organization for National Disability Voter Registration Week.

This week, Centers for Independent Living and disability rights organizations around the country will be celebrating NDVRW through events and activities to encourage people with disabilities to vote. There are many ways to get involved!

Check the National Disability Voter Registration Week calendar of events. Organizations around the country will be holding events to celebrate voting all week long. These events include local and state forums, training webinars, voter registration events, and more.

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From Voting Rights to Running for Office: Disability and the Political Process with NCIL’s Executive Director

Dear NCIL Members and Friends,

I was the first openly autistic individual to run for state legislature in US history. I was also the first state legislative candidate to bring up the issue of using campaign funds to pay for caregiver expenses. My Center for Independent Living was in Iowa, where the national political process starts. It starts when the Presidential primaries are held. Voters in Iowa have big meetings and decide on who they think each party should select as their Presidential candidate. These big meetings are called caucuses.  Disabled people in Iowa were not able to participate in these meetings. Our CIL organized meetings so people with all types of disabilities could be a part of the caucuses. 

All this is to say, I came to the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) with a deep commitment to ensuring that disabled people can participate in all political processes.  

The cornerstone of the political process is the polling place. I am proud that NCIL has, time and time again, shown its support for ensuring that all eligible voters have access and ability to vote on or by election day. 

NCIL operates a subcommittee that focuses specifically on voter rights.  NCIL has an employee who works on projects specific to voting rights. NCIL recently joined several other disability organizations in signing on to a letter authored by the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) in support of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. From the letter:

Following the record-breaking turnout in the 2020 elections, state legislatures across America have released an offensive onslaught of undemocratic legislation designed to specifically suppress the vote of voters with disabilities, voters of color, and youth voters.

These actions were made possible beginning in 2013 when the United States Supreme Court struck down key provisions of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 in its Shelby County v. Holder decision; In the Shelby County ruling when the Supreme Court struck down the primary avenue to determine which states require preclearance, it immediately freed jurisdictions with known discriminatory practices to change how their elections are administered without the voter protections offered by federal preclearance… Following the enactment of strict voter identification laws, voter purges, and polling place closures, not all voices are being heard on Election Day, and worse, they are being deliberately silenced.

The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the National Association of Councils for Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), NCIL, and NDRN strongly urge Congress to protect and restore voting rights in America through the enactment of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

The letter calls out the actions of state legislatures on voting issues. There was a Supreme Court decision in 2013 that made the actions of these states possible. That case was Shelby County v. Holder. It reversed the federal law that made sure states did not discourage people from voting. These protections were especially important for disabled voters, and Black and brown voters. The letter NCIL signed supports the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.  

NCIL’s commitment to ensuring participation of disabled people in the political process extends beyond the polling place and onto the ballot itself thanks to Elevate, the landmark training program designed specifically for candidates with disabilities, designed and led by people with disabilities. Elevate has been a part of NCIL portfolio for over two years. Elevate’s commitment to operating at the intersection of race and disability has been a key part of the program since day one. Elevate kicks off its relaunch in October. Spread the word. If you are a disabled person who’s interested in running for office, register! It’s FREE for NCIL individual members so be on the lookout for further details from us.

In Solidarity,

Reyma McCoy McDeid

This statement is written in plain language.

A Right to Vote and A Right to Health for All: Co-liberation as the Only Path Forward

By Maddie Offstein, NCIL Summer Policy Intern

Although the U.S. has formally abolished the Jim Crow laws and poll taxes, many states are ramping up efforts to revisit their laws on voting policies and procedures after the 2020 Presidential election and creating significant barriers for many in participating in future elections. Since start of the new year alone, 18 states have enacted 30 new laws that restrict access to the ballot. Most noteworthy is the successfully passed legislation in Georgia, a state whose presidential election results were decided by a mere 11,779 votes. The law, S.B.202, includes 16 key provisions that either restrict the right to vote for some Georgia residents or transfer power from elections officials to state legislators. The major changes to state voting requirements are as follows: a shortened time period to request absentee ballots, stricter ID requirements for absentee ballots, a significant reduction in the number of ballot drop boxes (with an additional requirement that they are placed inside frequently inaccessible buildings), an almost complete elimination of mobile voting centers, and misdemeanor charges for those who offer food or water to those waiting in long polling lines. These changes will have the impact of curtailing voting access for disabled, low-income, and racially marginalized people – so egregiously that the Justice Department is suing the state on the grounds that Republican lawmakers pushed a bill through the State legislature with an intent to deny Black voters equal access to the ballot. In addition to many civil rights groups, disability rights-focused groups such as The Arc Georgia, Georgia ADAPT, and the Georgia Advocacy Office (GAO) have joined the case and added a complaint that S.B. 202 violates both the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This is the first-time disability rights organizations have joined, as plaintiffs, a major voting rights lawsuit.

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Disability Rights Organizations Join the National John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Action Day

May 8, 2021

Washington, D.C. – Today, the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), and the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) will participate in the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Day of Action in support of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

Following the record-breaking turnout in the 2020 elections, state legislatures across America have released an offensive onslaught of undemocratic legislation designed to specifically suppress the vote of voters with disabilities, voters of color, and youth voters. 

These actions were made possible beginning in 2013 when the United States Supreme Court struck down key provisions of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 in its Shelby County v. Holder decision. Prior to 2013, jurisdictions were subject to preclearance under Section 5 of the VRA and jurisdictions with known discriminatory practices were required to seek approval before enacting voting changes. In the Shelby County ruling when the Supreme Court struck down the primary avenue to determine which states require preclearance, it immediately freed jurisdictions with known discriminatory practices to change how their elections are administered without the voter protections offered by federal preclearance. Voters across the country are negatively impacted by new barriers created after the Shelby County decision. Following the enactment of strict voter identification laws, voter purges, and polling place closures, not all voices are being heard on Election Day, and worse, they are being deliberately silenced.

For the past several years, Congress has introduced legislation that would restore the preclearance provision of the VRA, including the Voting Rights Advancement Act, recently renamed as the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (H.R. 4). AAPD, NACDD, NCIL and NDRN strongly urge Congress to protect and restore voting rights in America through the enactment of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The VRA protections are needed as much now as they were almost 60 years ago. We urge Congress to take swift action to ensure that Americans will not experience another election without the crucial protections of the Voting Rights Act.

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The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is a convener, connector, and catalyst for change, increasing the political and economic power of people with disabilities. As a national cross-disability rights organization, AAPD advocates for full civil rights for the over 61 million Americans with disabilities by promoting equal opportunity, economic power, independent living, and political participation. To learn more, visit the AAPD Web site: www.aapd.com.   

The National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) is the national association for the 56 Councils on Developmental Disabilities (DD Councils) across the United States and its territories. The DD Councils receive federal funding to support programs that promote self-determination, integration, and inclusion for all people in the United States with developmental disabilities.  Please check out www.onevotenow.org for NACDD’s work on voting.

The National Council on Independent Living is the longest-running national cross-disability, grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. Founded in 1982, NCIL represents thousands of organizations and individuals including: individuals with disabilities, Centers for Independent Living (CILs), Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs), and other organizations that advocate for the human and civil rights of people with disabilities throughout the United States. To learn more, visit www.ncil.org

The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) is the nonprofit membership organization for the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems and the Client Assistance Programs (CAP) for individuals with disabilities. Collectively, the Network is the largest provider of legally based advocacy services to people with disabilities in the United States To learn more, visit www.ndrn.org.    

Information Alert: Executive Order on Promoting Additional Access to Voting

This past Sunday, President Biden signed a new voting access executive order entitled “Executive Order on Promoting Additional Access to Voting”. The Executive Order was released to coincide with the 56th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday,” when civil rights activists, beginning their march from Selma to Montgomery, were brutally beaten by State troopers while crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

The executive order (EO) aims to expand access to voting in a number of ways, including:

  • Giving the heads of every Federal agency 200 days to evaluate and create a plan to promote voter registration and voter participation (Section 3);
  • Requiring the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to coordinate efforts to improve and modernize Federal websites and digital services that provide election and voting information, including ensuring accessibility to people with disabilities and people with limited English proficiency (Section 3); and
  • Requiring the General Services Administration (GSA) to coordinate with the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and other agencies, as well as seek input from affected stakeholders (including civil rights advocates, disability rights advocates, and Tribal Nations) to modernize and improve the Vote.gov (Section 5) website.
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