WPAS Updates - Summer 2003

Washington Protection & Advocacy System

Pursuing justice on behalf of people with disabilities on matters related to their human, legal, and civil rights.

Promoting Dignity, Equality and Self-Determination.

Home ׀ About WPAS ׀ News ׀ Self-Advocacy ׀ Public Policy ׀ Publications ׀ Contact WPAS
E-Mail Updates ׀ Support WPAS ׀ Search

Envoy On-Line Archives

WPAS Updates:

Helping Americans with Disabilities Vote

WPAS to Assist Secretary of State in Making Voting more Accessible

by Phil Jordan

July 2, 2003

WPAS has received a grant to provide assistance to the office of the Secretary of State in making voting accessible for people with disabilities. In 2002, Congress passed the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) which provides federal funding for states to make sure that elections are fair and accessible for everyone. Protection and Advocacy Systems, like WPAS, receive some of this money to help ensure that people with disabilities have the same access to voting as all other citizens.

HAVA requires the states to do several things. Among them are requirements to:

	Develop a state plan to overhaul their election procedures.
	Make polling places accessible for people with disabilities.
	Allow "provisional ballots" - this allows people who state that they are eligible to vote to be given a ballot even if the election officials cannot find their name on the list of registered voters. These ballots are counted if it is determined that the voter is eligible.
	Develop a system that makes it easier for individuals to register to vote.
	Allow people to vote by mail.
	Maintain a statewide list of voters.
	Provide training for poll workers.
	Develop a formal complaint procedure for citizens who experience problems.

Technology in Voting Machines

One of the ways that HAVA will make voting more accessible is to require that polling places have a new type of voting machine called a Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) voting machine. The DREs allow people with visual disabilities to vote without having to rely on someone else to read the ballot to them. It is important that everyone who is eligible to vote be allowed to cast their vote privately, without having to have someone else assist them in indicating how they wish to vote on any race or ballot measure. In recent years there have been law suits filed to preserve the right of individuals with visual disabilities to vote in private.

Washington state is currently developing a plan that hopes to place at least one DRE in every polling place in the state within the next several years.

Do you want to know more about HAVA and voting rights for people with disabilities? Try these web sites:

	AAPD Disability Vote Project
	International Foundation for Election Systems
	Center for an Accessible Society
	National Organization on disAbility
	Summary of Helping America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA)
	League of Women Voters of the United States

● Back to Top of Page ● Back to Envoy-Online ● Back to Home Page ●

WPAS E-Mail Updates

Do you want to receive E-Mail Alerts and information about legislative issues? Sign up for WPAS E-Mail Updates. It's easy to do, and none of your personal information will ever be given to another organization.

● Back To Top of Page ● Back to Envoy Archives ● Back to Home Page ●

Home ׀ About WPAS ׀ News ׀ Self-Advocacy ׀ Public Policy ׀ Publications ׀ Contact WPAS
E-Mail Updates ׀ Support WPAS ׀ Search

Washington Protection & Advocacy System
315 - Fifth Avenue South, Suite 850
Seattle, WA 98104
*Phone: (206) 324-1521 or in Washington State: (800) 562-2702
TTY: (206) 957-0728 or in Washington State: (800) 905-0209
Fax: (206) 957-0729
*Interpreters Available in over 200 languages via AT&T Language Line
E-mail: wpas@wpas-rights.org
URL: http://www.wpas-rights.org