EAC guidance lays out steps to make in-person voting accessible to people with disabilities

An agency official from the Election Assistance Commission outlined practical measures election officials can take to make in-person voting accessible to people with disabilities, citing federal laws and pointing to resources on eac.gov.

The guidance names key federal statutes and standards that apply to voting locations — the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), and the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act — and says these laws ‘‘ensure disabled voters have the right to mark, verify, and cast their ballot privately and independently.’’ The speaker advised jurisdictions to check for additional state and local requirements.

On site selection, the EAC guidance recommends prioritizing publicly owned buildings that are more likely to be ADA compliant and where costs for accessibility modifications might be shared. The guidance also outlines parking-lot requirements under the Architectural Barriers Act — number and size of accessible spaces, access aisles, signage and surface quality — and urges a clearly marked, reachable route from accessible parking or public transit to the voting entrance. Officials are told to make an accessible entrance available to everyone when possible and to post clear signage if the accessible entrance differs from the primary doorway.

The presentation emphasizes interior routing and voter flow: doorways and hallways should meet width and slope standards, be free of obstacles, and provide seating along long lines without creating hazards. Where curbside voting is offered, jurisdictions should post signage that explains how to request it and ensure the setup itself is accessible. The speaker recommended checking for accessible restrooms near the voting area.

At the check-in table, poll workers should be trained in disability etiquette and in communicating in accessible ways. Election officials should have instructions available in multiple formats, such as auditory and large-print, and provide accessible options when signature or identification is required.

The EAC guidance also focuses on voting machines and assistive technology: accessible machines should be powered up and functioning with assistive technology, headphones should be available, and poll workers should be familiar with operating the devices. The presentation suggested low-cost assistive items — magnifying glasses, a variety of writing implements and a stylus for touch screens — and directed officials to state assistive-technology programs and EAC videos for more information.

The guidance concludes by directing officials to additional checklists and best practices at eac.gov/votingaccessibility to help jurisdictions implement the recommendations.

The EAC did not propose new federal rules in this presentation; it provided best-practice guidance and resource links for officials to follow. The materials referenced in the presentation are available on the EAC website for further review.