Questions About Your Right to Vote
 

• Does my disability affect my right to vote?
  No, you have a right to vote regardless of your disability, unless a court has ruled that you are mentally incompetent.
   

• Does the polling place have to be accessible?
  Yes the polling place must have:

  • accessible parking spaces with proper signs

  • accessible routes from the parking area to the building

  • accessible doors and routes inside the building to the voting machine.
     

• Can someone assist me in voting?
  Yes, you have the right to receive assistance from someone of your choice. Please inform a poll worker and they will have you and your assistant fill out an ‘assisted voter form. It is illegal for the person who is assisting you to reveal your votes! If you do not have a designated person to assist you, two poll workers of opposite parties can assist you. The person assisting you cannot be a candidate, a past or present employer, or a union representative.
   

• Can I vote from my car?
  Some counties provide the option for you to vote from your car if the polling place is not accessible. Poll workers of different political parties will bring a ballot directly to your car. Please call your County Clerk’s office for more information.
   

• If I cannot go to the polling place, are there other ways that I can vote?
  Yes, you may take advantage of Early Voting, absentee ballots, and emergency absentee ballots.
   

• What is Early Voting?
  Any registered voter may vote at their County Clerk’s office beginning 13 days before the election and ending the 3rd day before the election. Please call your County Clerk’s office to find out the location and hours for Early Voting.
   

• What is an absentee ballot and an emergency absentee ballot?
  An absentee ballot is a way for you to vote by mail if you are unable to travel to your polling place to vote. It is applied for in advance. An emergency absentee ballot is a way for you to vote if you are hospitalized or placed in the care of a nursing facility within one week of the election. You must request this from the County Clerk’s office. More information on absentee ballots and emergency absentee ballots can be found earlier in this newsletter, or by contacting your County Clerk’s office.
   

• Can I bring my service animal to the polling place?
  Yes, you have the right to bring your service animal into a polling place.
   

• What do I do if I know that my polling place is not accessible to me?
  Contact your County Clerk and ask them to make the necessary changes to bring the polling place into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If your precinct cannot be made accessible in time for the election, you may request to vote at a different precinct.Please call your County Clerk’s office to make arrangements.
   

• What if my polling place isn’t accessible on voting day?
  Please call, 1 (866) SOS-VOTE (866-767-8683) and ask for elections. They will be able to assist you. Also, please call us and let us know of any issues you had during election day, and we may do an onsite accessibility study of your polling place. There is also an accessibility survey attached to this newsletter.
   

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