It’s Election Day and all around the country, voters like you are making a difference. Voting is a way for you to make your voice heard on issues that matter to you – issues like healthcare, education, and more.
Voting can be tricky when you have a disability. That’s why we put together this list of resources so that you can exercise your right to vote today and cast your ballot privately and independently.
Getting to the polls:
- Uber and Lyft are providing free or discounted rides to the polls, along with several bike companies, scooter companies, and public transportation systems.
- Carpool Vote is a service that matches drivers with voters in need of a ride. You can request an adapted van with a lift through this service, mark that you will be traveling with a service animal, and/or request any other accommodations (such as help folding equipment).
At your polling place:
- The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, and the National Disability Rights Network collaborated on a guide to the voting rights of people with mental disabilities (also available in plain language).
- Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) has videos on possible problems you may face at the polls as part of their civic engagement toolkit.
- Aira is offering free minutes to assist blind and visually impaired voters with voting related tasks (such as ordering transportation to the polls, finding the specific room within your polling location, or filling out an absentee ballot).
After voting:
- If you experienced an accessibility barrier or challenge to voting, contact your state’s Protection & Advocacy Hotline.
- Share your disability vote story (the good and bad!) with NCIL’s Disability Vote Organizer, Sarah Blahovec, by emailing her at [email protected].
- Donate to the NCIL Voting Rights & Civic Engagement Fund so that we can continue to assist people with disabilities to register to vote, cast their vote, and run for office. Every amount helps!
