Tips for Voting
According to the American Association of People with Disabilities, people with disabilities accounted for approximately 1/6th of voters in the 2016 election. That may sound like a lot, but if people with disabilities voted at the same rate as people without disabilities, there would have been an additional 3 million votes cast. For this reason, it is important to encourage people of all abilities to vote so that their voices can be heard.
This toolkit will help guide you through the process of registration and preparation for voting.
Who can vote in the United States?
Are a United States citizen
Are 18 years old on or before election day
Meet your state’s residency requirements
Are registered to vote on or before your date’s registration deadline
How do you register to vote?
When you are 18, you are eligible to vote, but in many states it is possible to register before you are 18 if you will be of age by election day. In each state, the registration process and deadline will vary, so it is important to do your research early to make sure you will be able to vote. You can search the registration procedures by your state’s rules here.
What are the different types of elections?
Primary elections are for voters who are registered with a certain political party. They may participate in a primary election to choose who will be on the ballot in the upcoming general election.
General elections are held for the entire state or country and are not only for voters who are affiliated with a certain political party. General elections are for making the final choice between the remaining candidates running. This could include the candidates nominated by their political parties, independent candidates, and write-in candidates. A state election would involve voting for governors, senators, and representatives to Congress.
Local Elections are for towns, cities, counties and other municipalities. These are for choosing offices such as mayors, sheriffs, city council members, and school board members.
When are elections?
The national general elections are in November every 4 years.
State and local elections do not have to be at a specific time, and the dates can be chosen by the area. You can find your area’s upcoming state and local elections here.
How do I choose who to vote for?
It’s important to take the time to make an informed decision while choosing who to vote for. Identify the key issues you care about, and find the candidate that you feel will best work to fight for these causes.
Ballotready.org is a helpful resource that will provide you a voting guide based on your address. It will even let you save your choices and print them out to bring with you to the polls so that you don’t have to worry about forgetting who or what you wanted to vote for.
If I don’t want to vote in person, can I request an absentee ballot?
Every state offers the option to request an absentee ballot that you can mail in instead of going to a polling place on election day. This is a great option if you are nervous or unable to go in to vote for any reason. Usvotefoundation.org provides an easy form that will request an absentee ballot from your state.
It is important to fill out and mail in your absentee ballot on time. Each state has a deadline for when your absentee ballot had to have been sent by in order for it to count. You can check what the deadline is for your state here.
What should I expect if I’m voting in person?
You will be assigned a polling place where you will cast your vote in person. Make sure you know your polling place ahead of time by checking here, and feel free to take a practice drive or walk around beforehand so you are comfortable and not worried about getting lost the day of the election.
There should be signs labelling the location as a polling place and people you can ask for help if you can’t find the location on voting day.
The voting hours vary by state. Check the hours for your state here so that you are able to be on time to vote.
There will most likely be a line that you will have to wait in before you are able to receive and fill out your ballot. It’s important to keep this in mind when you decide when to leave for your polling place so you are not worried about time. Be prepared for waiting by going to the bathroom beforehand, and bringing a snack or water if you feel that you will need this.
Depending on the state you live in, you may have to bring a form of identification in order to vote. This could include a driver’s license, passport, ID card, or other form of identification. Check here to see whether or not your state requires you to bring this, and what form of identification you’ll need.
When you go in, you will give someone at a table your name so that they can mark down that you have come in to vote. They will give you a ballot and a pen and direct you to a part of the room where you can go to vote. There will generally be different tables with curtains or walls for privacy.
When you’re done, there will be someone waiting at a machine to help show you how to put your ballot into the machine to be counted. After that, you’re all set!
What is my voting place required to do in order to make it accessible for me and others?
Because of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) there are many requirements that polling places must meet to accommodate for people with disabilities.
As a person with a disability you have the right to the following:
An accessible voting place
Bring your service animal
Get help from workers at the polling place
Bring someone to help you vote (such as a caregiver, family member, or friend)
There are a number of different accommodations they offer which can be seen on the ADA checklist for polling places.