Voting Accesibility
Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act
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The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984 generally requires polling places across the United States to be physically accessible to people with disabilities for federal elections.
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Where no accessible location is available to serve as a polling place, a political subdivision must provide an alternate means of casting a ballot on the day of the election.
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This law also requires states to make available registration and voting aids for disabled and elderly voters, including information by telecommunications devices for the deaf (TDDs) which are also known as teletypewriters (TTYs).
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Effective September 15, 2015: A polling official may allow a voter who is physically disabled or over the age of 70 to move to the front of the line at a polling place upon request of the voter.
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Applying for an Absentee Ballot from ADAP
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Contact your Absentee Election Manager
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Voting Absentee and Envelope Explanation (PDF) from Executive Director of Disability Rights & Resources, Dan Kessler
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Voting Absentee in Person: a video from Commissioner Scales on voting absentee in person at the Jefferson County Courthouse (not closed captioned)
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Complete Voter Guide from the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama (ACLU)
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Voting Plan Worksheet from ADAP
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Election Protection Hotline (ACLU): 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) ● Non-partisan, staffed by volunteers
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Voting Survey from ADAP
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Filing a HAVA Complaint from ADAP
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Listen to the training recording HERE
Polling Site Accessibility- ADA Checklist for Polling Places. An evaluation of polling place accessibility should focus on those areas of a facility that are important to voting. These often include parking for voters, a drop off or loading area, the entrance to the polling place, and the pedestrian routes (interior and exterior) that voters use to get to the voter check-in and voting areas.
Voter Registration: Visit the Alabama Secretary of State’s website for more information on voter registration.
Your most important right is your right to be heard! Advocating for yourself and for your needs is an important way for your voice to be heard. One way to advocate and to be heard is to contact your local legislator:
Contact your Alabama legislator – Do you want to contact your legislator, but you don’t know how? You can find your legislator’s contact information here. Send your message now & make your voice heard! You can get the home office contact information by clicking on the Contact tab.