Hello Everyone,
How are you all holding up after Hurricane Milton?
I’m excited about this next topic. This week, I wanted to talk about voting. Before you roll your eyes and scroll away from my page, don’t worry I’m not about to tell you who you should vote for because that isn’t my business. Nevertheless, voting is important because it impacts people’s lives.
This statement is especially true for disabled people, who depend on government services to help them maintain their lives. There are disparities between the voting habits of disabled people and non-disabled people. ” Access to Vote is a state-run Coalition, affiliated with the national REV UP! Campaign that is coordinated by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)”. They have worked to advocate for accessibility during elections and ensured that hat disabled voters are aware of the issues impacting their community. In their blog post entitled, Improving Voting Access, they give some insight into the Disabled Voters Gap.” During the 2020 election, the disability voter gap was 5.7%. 17.7 million people with disabilities reported voting in the November 2020 elections.” While these statistics are staggering, I am not surprised that such a small number of disabled voters reported voting in the election.
Elections are stressful times for everyone, but many disabled voters face additional barriers, including ableism and inaccessible polling places. As a wheelchair user, lack of access to certain polling places and finding reliable transportation can make voting in person difficult. Another issue is that my handwriting is not legible, making it tricky to fill out the ballots independently. These obstacles can add another level of anxiety to the voting process.
Thankfully, there are ways to make participating in the election process easier:
- Know Your Rights:
If someone discourages you from voting because you ask for assistance with understanding the information on your ballot, or because you need assistance filling out information, it’s a form of discrimination. However, there are organizations such as Disability Rights Florida that can help you learn how to handle these situations. I also highly recommend that you save the number for the Disability Rights Florida voting Hotline at 877-352-7337
- Plan Ahead:
A little planning can go a long way. Most disabled people don’t have the luxury of preparing to vote at the last minute. That’s why, it is good to have a plan before you head to the polls. You may want to research a particular amendment or keep track of election dates. Votepinellas.com is a great resource to find sample ballots.
- Everyone needs Help:
Sometimes asking for help can be intimidating. You have the right to ask for help while voting. Grab a friend, caregiver, or poll worker if you need support during the voting process but don’t let fear keep you from voting.
November 5th is right around the corner, but you can vote today. As always if you want to hear more advice from an opinionated black woman with cerebral palsy this is the place for you.
Works Cited
“Access to Vote – About Us.” Access the Vote Florida, Disability Rights Florida, www.accessthevote.org/about/. Accessed 23 October 2024
“Improving Voting Access.” Access the Vote Florida, Disability Rights Florida www.accessthevote.org/improving-voting-access/. Accessed 23 October 2024
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