Thursday, Oct. 15
By Katherine Schneider, for the CVPost
The first time I voted independently was in 2006 and I cried. To me, a secret ballot is one of the privileges of being an American and I finally had it.
When I had voted in the almost 40 years before that, it meant asking someone else to mark my ballot for me because I’m blind. I could either ask a friend or have one Democratic poll official and one Republican poll official help me.
When the two officials plus one guide dog and I were all crowded into the polling booth, it felt more like a convention than a secret ballot.
Secret ballot guaranteed
Because of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, we’re guaranteed a secret ballot. But for the 35,000,000 voters with disabilities, the path to voting may still be filled with obstacles.
Can these voters get to the polling location and is it really accessible to them? If they choose absentee balloting, who will help them fill out the ballot if they cannot read regular print?
If they use the “handicapped” machine at the polling place, does it work and, if not, do they have the time and energy to wait until someone comes to fix it? Are the poll workers knowledgeable about voting rights for people who do not speak, use sign language, etc. or does the person have to educate them and /or fight for their right to vote?
‘How do they get information on candidates and issues? Are the candidates’ websites accessible to screen reader technology? Joe Biden’s is a good example of one that is: https://joebiden.com/disabilities
Increased interest in the ‘disability vote’
In the last few years, there’s been increased interest in the “disability vote.” As you would guess, there is no monolithic one issue voting bloc, but issues around social and health care safety nets are often seen as key concerns.
Access to public transportation, climate change and police violence disproportionately affect people with disabilities. Candidates with first-hand disability experience, although they’re few and far between, have great appeal as do candidates who at least consult with people with disabilities and hire them to work in their campaigns and offices.
If you live in Wisconsin and have questions about disability access to the voting process, consult the Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition, a nonpartisan effort to help ensure full participation in the electoral process by voters with disabilities.
Accessibility problems should be reported
If a voter with a disability experiences an accessibility concern or another problem voting, I would encourage filing a complaint with the Wisconsin Elections Commission, so this concern can be addressed. When a concern is reported, it informs policy makers and helps make the system better for other voters.
Complaints may be entered online at elections.wi.gov/complaints or by calling the commission toll-free at 1-866-VOTEWIS. Anyone encountering immediate concerns while attempting to vote can call the Disability Rights Wisconsin voter hotline at 1-844-DIS-VOTE or can send an email to info@disabilityvote.org.
If you don’t have a disability, but care that all Americans having the right to vote should be able to exercise that right, you can offer a ride, offer to sign as a witness on an absentee ballot or offer to go with someone who feels intimidated about the extra hoops they may have to go through to vote because of their disability.
Together we can keep our democracy strong by voting.