Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
EAC guidance urges multiple accessible options for mail voting for voters with disabilities
Loading...
Summary
The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) video urges election officials to provide multiple accessible ways to request, mark, return and verify mail ballots for voters with disabilities, citing federal laws and a 2020 EAC-Rutgers survey and recommending web and materials compliance with WCAG and plain-language practices.
A presenter for the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) said that voters with disabilities — about one-sixth of the American electorate — have the right to mark, verify and cast ballots privately and independently, including by mail.
The guidance, designed for election officials, reviews federal authorities such as 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 recommends practical steps to improve mail-voting access. The presenter noted that certain HAVA federal grant funds may be used by state and local election offices to support accessibility improvements.
The guidance fronts three basic recommendations: provide multiple ways to request a mailed ballot, offer accessible ballot-marking options, and ensure accessible return and verification processes. "The most effective way to ensure accessibility is to provide multiple options to request, complete, and return ballots," the presenter said.
On requesting ballots, the presenter highlighted election websites as a primary information source, citing an EAC-commissioned Rutgers University survey that found websites are the top choice for voters with and without disabilities. The guidance recommends that websites clearly explain how mail voting works in the jurisdiction, list accessible request and return options, provide contact information and comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). It also recommends that request forms be concise, offer alternative signature options where law allows, and use plain language to make information easier to find and use.
For ballot marking, the presenter said paper ballots remain common but can create barriers and urged jurisdictions to provide alternative formats where permitted — for example, large print, braille or ballot delivery by email or online — and to include plain-language instructions and visual aids. The guidance stresses that images and documents should include appropriate alt text so assistive technology can access them.
On envelopes and packaging, officials were advised to limit extraneous materials, use high-contrast, large-type instructions and consider tactile indicators for signature lines to reduce the risk of rejection. The presenter recommended soliciting feedback from voters and community accessibility organizations to test usability.
Addressing ballot return, the guidance cites the EAC's 2020 election study that found returning a ballot was the second-most reported barrier for voters with disabilities. The presenter outlined three common return methods — by mail, in person (including drop boxes) and electronic return where permitted — and urged jurisdictions to evaluate each option for accessibility and communicate available choices.
The presenter noted that ballot-tracking portals are widely used and should be tested for WCAG compliance. On drop boxes, the guidance says they can be a secure and convenient option where permitted by law and cites study findings that nearly one-third of voters with disabilities used drop boxes in 2020 and that 79 percent of those respondents found them easy to use; the presenter also cautioned that voters with vision or cognitive impairments were less likely to use drop boxes.
Design and placement guidance stresses ADA compliance for nonvehicular paths, surface quality and width to accommodate mobility devices, plus accessible signage (large characters, high contrast, tactile notifications or braille and sound indicators).
On verification and curing, the presenter explained that when an envelope has a missing or mismatched signature (or missing witness signature where required), state and local laws determine available curing methods; the guidance recommends accessible notification and correction steps and multiple contact methods (email, phone, text, mail) where allowed. "Both parts of this process should be accessible," the presenter said.
Finally, the guidance urges partnering with community disability organizations to field-test forms and materials, to inform elderly and other populations about accessible options, and to ensure processes preserve voters' privacy and independence. The presenter closed by directing viewers to eac.gov for more information.
The guidance is advisory; legal requirements and allowed practices (for example, alternative signature methods or electronic return) depend on state and local law and are not changed by these recommendations.
