Voters with Disabilities: Resources
Voting is your right! Learn more about your rights as a voter with a disability and how you can receive the support you need to vote in elections.
The most powerful advocate for a person with disabilities is the person themselves. Mosaic supports people to become self-advocates by helping them learn to express their needs, hopes and desires. To help people understand their rights as a voter, we’ve answered some frequently asked questions and created a checklist to help you exercise your right to vote.
Please contact Mosaic’s government relations office if you have any questions at 877.366.7242, ext. 31171.
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I eligible to vote?
You are eligible to vote if:
- You are a U.S. citizen.
- You meet your state’s residency requirements.
- You are 18 years old.
I can’t make it to the polls on election day.
Most states allow people to vote early at the election office or vote by mail through an absentee ballot.
What is provisional voting?
If your eligibility to vote in a Federal election is in question, you must be offered a provisional ballot at the polling place. You have a right to cast a provisional ballot if you declare you are eligible and registered to vote in that jurisdiction.
Contact your Secretary of State’s office for more information about provisional ballot.
Can I vote if I have a disability?
YES, you can vote!
Most polling places are designed to make the voting process accessible to all people, including voters with a disability, by having clearly marked routes and signage to voting locations and voting equipment that is accessible for individuals with disabilities.
You can request assistance to vote!
Under Federal law, you may bring an individual to assist you in voting if you have a disability. A poll worker can also assist you. Federal law prohibits your employer from helping you.
What if I have a complaint?
Contact your Secretary of State’s office or the U.S. Department of Justice at 800.253.3931 if you have a complaint or feel you were not treated fairly while voting.
Voting Checklist
Things to do before Election Day:
- Confirm you are registered to vote several weeks before Election Day.
- Update your registration if your address, name, or political affiliation has changed.
- Know how and when to request an absentee ballot if you are unable to vote at your polling place on Election Day.
- Know your options for early voting. Know the voter identification requirements in your state.
- Know your polling place and how to get there. Familiarize yourself with the voting device used in your jurisdiction.
- Learn how the device is accessible to voters with disabilities.
- Learn what assistance is available in languages other than English.
- Know what time the polls open and close.
- Become acquainted with the candidates and issues on the ballot.
What to expect on Election Day:
- To vote, go to the polling place indicated on your voter registration card. Make sure you have your ID if your state requires it.
- Election officials will look up your address to ensure you are at the right location. After you sign your name on the listing of registered voters, a poll worker will give you a ballot and privacy sleeve and direct you to a privacy booth or ballot marking device to mark your ballot.
- Follow the poll workers’ instructions. If you have any questions about voting on Election Day, ask the poll worker.
- If you have a disability, you have the right to accessible equipment. If you need assistance, ask for it. It’s your right.
- There may be a line to vote. If you are in line before your polling place closes, you must be allowed to cast a vote.