During the midterm elections, disabled voters encountered numerous obstacles, highlighting systemic issues in the voting process. These challenges include physical barriers, bureaucratic hurdles, and voter suppression tactics in various states. Despite some improvements in accessibility, such as ramps and accessible voting machines, many polling places remain inaccessible, particularly in the South. The difficulties faced by disabled voters extend to every stage of the voting process, from registration to casting a ballot. These issues disproportionately affect disabled voters, with 14% reporting problems in the 2022 midterm elections compared to 4% of non-disabled voters. The problems include difficulty waiting in line, reading or seeing the ballot, writing on the ballot, and getting inside the polling place. Additionally, states have enacted more voting restrictions, forcing disabled people to re-register and slashing voting windows. The improved accessibility reflects funding for accessible voting systems, improvements to polling places, poll worker training, and increased information about voting accessibility for individuals with disabilities. However, where problems still exist, the only remedy is often to file individual complaints under federal or state disability laws, a process that has historically limited enforcement of accessibility statutes. As reported, many polling places, particularly in the South, are in churches—but places of worship are exempt from the Americans with Disabilities Act when not acting as a polling location, which leaves few options when they're inaccessible. And according to a Ballotpedia analysis, the average level of reading expertise needed to correctly parse the average ballot measure in 2026 was that of a graduate student, posing clear challenges to some disabled people.
También lo cubren: Mother Jones (Estados Unidos).
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