REV UP the Disability Vote
Your vote, and the vote of every eligible person with a disability, matters. As a community, we account for more than 35 million voters this year, approximately one sixth of the total electorate. Let’s show that we are a force to be reckoned with!
Below are several tools and resources to help you (as well as your friends, family, colleagues, clients, etc.) keep tabs on the election, understand how the presidential candidates would address disability issues, navigate the process of voting, and know where to go for help if you encounter problems while trying to vote.
2016 Election Forecast
Five Thirty Eight offers a frequently-updated, comprehensive forecast of how the 2016 election will play out (focusing on the Presidential and Senate elections).
REV UP Presidential Candidate Questionnaire
To date, both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have completed the REV UP Presidential Candidate Questionnaire. The issues addressed in this questionnaire are vital to ensuring all individuals with disabilities have an opportunity to achieve the American Dream.
Preparing to Vote
Who’s on your ballot?
- Use Google!
Search “who’s on my ballot” and Google will help you find info on the candidates, as well as detailed information on your state’s referenda.
Find your Polling Place
- Get to the Polls
Enter the address used when you registered to vote to find your polling location.
- Use Google!
Search “where to vote” and Google will display a polling place location finder as well as voting ID requirements.
Voter ID Requirements
- Vote Riders
Vote Riders released a wallet-sized Voter ID Info Card (in English and Spanish) for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Each card provides a breakdown of the voter ID requirements in that specific state.
They also host a Voter ID Hotline: 1-844-338-8743.
Getting to the Polls
- Carpool Vote
A national platform connecting volunteer drivers with anybody needing a ride to cast their vote. The platform is accessible to voters with disabilities.
- Your local center for independent living
Some centers for independent living are offering rides to the polls. Contact your center to see if they can offer you a ride or if they can connect you to another service in your community.
Voting
Your Rights as a Voter with a Disability
As a voter with a disability, you have the right to:
- Vote privately and independently;
- Have an accessible polling place and accessible voting machines;
- Seek assistance from workers at the polling place who have been trained to use the accessible voting machines; and
- Bring someone to help you vote.
Additional Resources
If you encounter a problem while trying to vote
There are several resources that can assist voters in real time. AAPD and Easterseals created a printable card that lists many of these hotlines.
- Visit www.866ourvote.org or call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683) if you have any issues or concerns related to Election Day.
- Call 888-Ve-Y-Vota (888-839-8682) for Bilingual English and Spanish assistance.
- Call 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683) for assistance in English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Bengali, Urdu, Hindi, or Tagalog.
- Call #YallaVote (844-418-1682) – Bilingual: English and Arabic.
- Contact the Protection & Advocacy Agency in your state. NCIL has compiled a directory of state protection and advocacy voter assistance hotlines.
- The Arc’s Voter Support Service
This tool makes it easier for people with disabilities to report problems on Election Day and to get real-time help. The Voter Support Service can be accessed as a mobile-friendly website as well as an app available on iTunes and Google Play.
- Cada Voto Cuenta
LatinoJustice PRLDEF has launched a new smartphone voter protection app to help citizens report voting rights violations while voting in the 2016 elections. The app is in both English and Spanish and can be downloaded on iTunes and Google Play.
Keep the Conversation Going
Please continue to engage with us and the broader disability community leading up to, during, and after Election Day on November 8th. On Twitter, you can keep the conversation going using #REVUP, #CripTheVote, and #VoteDisability.
Our friends over at #CripTheVote are planning to live-tweet Election Day from 8pm to midnight (Eastern Time), so be sure to tune-in on November 8th!
Don’t Forget!
We’ll be hosting a REV UP Debrief Call the week after the election to review the successes of this year and begin looking ahead to 2017.
REV UP Debrief Call
Wednesday, November 16th | 3:30pm-5pm ET
CART will be available.
Register for the REV UP Debrief Call here
I hope you will join us and consider speaking on the call to share how you organized and REV’d UP your community. We’re also collecting feedback on the tools and resources we put together this year. Please take a few minutes to complete the REV UP Campaign Survey.
VOTE as if your life DEPENDS on it – Because it DOES!
