Barriers to Voting for Disabled Americans

Abstract

Disabled Americans face many barriers when it comes to voting, which is reflected in their lower voter turnout. This article examines past barriers along with the changes in accessibility that occurred due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Physical barriers include inaccessibility at polling locations, such as a lack of ramps and audio-equipped voting machines. A lack of privacy for disabled voters also dissuades them from voting. Disabled people have also been psychologically discouraged from voting by both consistent inaccessibility and the lack of government attention to this inaccessibility. Further, disabled people who are considered high-risk for COVID-19 were less likely to vote in person due to concerns about contracting the virus. However, the widespread availability of mail-in ballots increased disabled voter turnout as compared to previous years. This did not close the turnout gap between disabled and abled voters, but did shrink it. In order to address the barriers faced by disabled people when it comes to voting, the existing literature recommends an expansion of mail in voting, increased accessibility at polling locations, and updated federal guidelines on accessibility.