Voters with disabilities have all too often been disenfranchised from the polls but that has been improving, according to Alicia Boehme of Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition. She credits the establishment of the state Government Accountability Board and the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002.
HAVA requires that voting machines assisting disabled persons, be in every polling spot. Boehme says these machines vary from place-to-place and allow voters the option to cast a private, anonymous vote, “They don’t have to have a friend or a stranger cast that ballot.”
If there are questions about disability access or if there is an issue at the polls, the coalition can be contacted at 1-800-928-8778 or TTY 1-888-758 6049.