Washington, Nov. 8 – Below you will find four up-to-the-minute resources to help you this election:
- State-by-state voter guides on what specifically candidates for president, governor and senate are saying on disability issues.
- Guides broken down by issue from candidates across the county.
- Straight Q&A’s with candidates on disability issues organized by state. If you do not see a candidate from a presidential, senate or gubernatorial race, it is because the candidate chose not to answer the questionnaire. RespectAbility is nonpartisan and all candidates were given an equal chance to make voters aware of their views on disability issues.
- Apps and information on where to vote, how to vote and who to contact if there is an issue. As voters go to the polls, it is vital to know that voters with disabilities have every right to vote. If you have a problem voting due to lack of access for disability, contact 866-OUR-VOTE, or other resources listed below, immediately. Please let us know as well by emailing LaurenA@RespectAbilityUSA.org. View all of this information on one place on our blog: Disability Voter Resource Guide.
NOW PLEASE GO VOTE! THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY IS 56 MILLION CITIZENS STRONG. SHOW YOUR POWER AT THE BALLOT BOX!
Utilizing candidate responses to both the down ballot and presidential
RespectAbility fellows, young individuals with disabilities, compiled the responses and packaged stories by topic. Check them out for great policy answers from a wide variety of candidates:
RespectAbility and The RespectAbility Report are nonpartisan and do not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.
Below are links to detailed answers to the questionnaire. Every major party candidate for president, senate and governor was given an equal opportunity to address these issues and if they are not listed, it is because they declined to answer.
| State | Gubernatorial Candidate | View Full Answers |
| Delaware | Colin Bonini (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteBonini |
| Delaware | John Carney (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteCarney |
| Missouri | Chris Koster (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteKoster |
| Montana | Steve Bullock (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteBullock |
| Montana | Greg Gianforte (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteGianforte |
| New Hampshire (lost primary) |
Derek Dextraze (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteDextraze |
| Oregon | Bud Pierce (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVotePierce |
| Utah | Mike Weinholtz (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteWeinholtz |
| Vermont | Sue Minter (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteMinter |
| Vermont | Phil Scott (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteScott |
| Washington | Bill Bryant (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteBryant |
| State | Senate Candidate | View Full Answers |
| Alabama | Ron Crumpton (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteCrumpton |
| California | Kamala Harris (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteHarris |
| California | Loretta Sanchez (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteSanchez |
| Florida (lost primary) |
Dwight Young (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteYoung |
| Hawaii | John Carroll (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteCarroll |
| Illinois | Tammy Duckworth (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteDuckworth |
| Illinois | Mark Kirk (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteKirk |
| Kansas | Patrick Wiesner (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteWiesner |
| Louisiana | Foster Campell (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteCampbell |
| Louisiana | Caroline Fayard (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteFayard |
| Louisiana | Abhay Patel (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVotePatel |
| Maryland | Kathy Szeliga (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteSzeliga |
| Maryland | Chris Van Hollen (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteVanHollen |
| Missouri | Jason Kander (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteKander |
| Nevada | Joe Heck (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteHeck |
| Nevada | Catherine Cortez Masto (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteMasto |
| New Hampshire | Kelly Ayotte (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteAyotte |
| New Hampshire | Maggie Hassan (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteHassan |
| North Carolina | Richard Burr (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteBurr |
| North Carolina | Deborah Ross (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteRoss |
| Ohio | Joe DeMare (Green) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteDeMare |
| Oregon | Mark Callahan (R) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteCallahan |
| Pennsylvania | Katie McGinty (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteMcGinty |
| South Dakota | Jay Williams (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteWilliams |
| Vermont | Patrick Leahy (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteLeahy |
| Wisconsin | Russ Feingold (D) | http://bit.ly/PwDsVoteFeingold |
Election Day Assistance
Rock the Vote has several online tools that simplify and demystify voter registration and elections. Follow the links below for more on how to claim your vote!
- Check your registration
- Find your polling place
- Voter and ID requirements
- State election information & learn about your candidates
Easter Seals, AAPD and the REVUP campaign created a checklist for voters with disabilities. Download their voting resource card to take with you to the polls!
The Arc, in partnership with Election Protection, a nonpartisan service formed to ensure that all voters have an equal opportunity to participate in the political process, created an app for people with disabilities to utilize if they have a problem voting. Download it today! Google Play: bit.ly/2f1fYqr or App Store: apple.co/2enQ9CH.
The National Federation of the Blind will host an Election Day hotline that blind and low vision voters, poll workers and voting rights advocates can call when problems with accessible voting technology or other barriers are preventing a blind voter from casting a private and independent ballot. The hotline will be available on Nov. 8, 2016, by calling 1-877-632-1940 from 7:00 a.m. EST to 7:00 p.m. PST.
Need help getting to the polls?
In addition to contacting your local candidates’ office, reach out to Carpool Vote, a service connecting volunteer drivers with anybody who needs a ride to claim their vote.
- Offer to drive or request a ride online: http://carpoolvote.com/
- For help using Carpool Vote, call or SMS: 804-239-3389
What if I go to the polls and they tell me I am not registered to vote?
First, make sure you are at the right polling place. If you are at the wrong polling place, they will not have your name on list of voters. If you are at the correct location and are not on the list, you can still cast a ballot. Ask the poll worker for a provisional ballot. After the polls close on Election Day, the state will check on the status of your voter registration and if there was a mistake made. The state must notify you as to whether your ballot was counted.
On Election Day, if I think my rights have been violated, what should I do?
If you have any questions at the polls, first ask an election official on site for assistance. If they are unable to assist or if you believe they violated your voting rights, then contact the Election Protection Coalition, a nonpartisan coalition working year-round to advance and defend your right to vote. They have lawyers standing by to answer your call:
- Visit 866ourvote.org
- 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) – English
- 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682) – Bilingual English and Spanish
- 1-844-418-1682 – Bilingual English and Arabic
- 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683) – English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Bengali, Hindi, Urdu or Tagalog
Other resources:
- The Election Assistance Commission, 1-866-747-1471 or BeReady16@eac.gov
- The Department of Justice, Voting Section at www.justice.gov/crt/contacting-voting-section, 800-253-3931, or voting.section@usdoj.gov
Looking to communicate with ASL or through SMS?
The Voting Information Project supports a SMS Tool that provides voters with election information via text message. By texting “VOTE” or “VOTO” to GOVOTE (468-683), voters can find polling places, contact information for local election officials, and registration URLs. The app is available in multiple languages.
If you are having trouble voting on Election Day, there are two resources available. While they are run through the DNC, as a matter of federal law, all voter help hotlines, whether run by a party or campaign, are nonpartisan.
- American Sign Language Video Hotline: 240-204-6475
- SMS Hotline: text QUESTION to 47246
State Protection and Advocacy Voter Assistance Hotlines
The Advocacy Monitor, a project of the National Council on Independent Living, compiled a directory of protection and advocacy voter assistance hotlines that address the voting barriers that specifically affect voters with disabilities, listed by state:
- Alabama: Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program – (205) 348-4928
- Alaska: Disability Law Center of Alaska – (907) 771-8812
- American Samoa: Office of Protection & Advocacy – (684) 699-2441
- Arizona: Arizona Disability Law Center – (602) 274-6287
- Arkansas: Disability Rights Arkansas – (800) 482-1174
- California: Disability Rights California – (888) 569-7955
- Colorado: Disability Law Colorado – (303) 722-0300
- Connecticut: Office of P&A Services – (860) 297-4300
- Delaware: Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. – (302) 575-0660
- District of Columbia: Disability Rights DC – (202) 547-0198
- Florida: Disability Rights Florida – (800) 342-0823
- Georgia : The Georgia Advocacy Office – (404) 885-1234
- Guam: Guam Legal Services Disability Law Center – (671) 477-9811
- Hawaii: Hawaii Disability Rights Center – (800) 882-1057
- Idaho: Disability Rights Idaho – (208) 336-5353
- Illinois: Equip for Equality – (800) 537-2632
- Indiana: Indiana Disability Rights – (800) 622-4845
- Iowa: Disability Rights Iowa – (800) 779-2502
- Kansas: Disability Rights Center of Kansas – (877) 776-1541
- Kentucky: Kentucky Protection & Advocacy – (800) 372-2988
- Louisiana: Advocacy Center – (800) 960-7705
- Maine: Disability Rights Maine – (800) 452-1948
- Maryland: Disability Rights Maryland – (443) 692-2492
- Massachusetts: Disability Law Center, Inc. – (800) 872-9992
- Michigan: Michigan Protection & Advocacy Services – (800) 288-5923
- Minnesota: Minnesota Disability Law Center – (800) 292-4150
- Mississippi: Disability Rights Mississippi – (601) 968-0600
- Missouri: Missouri Protection & Advocacy – (573) 893-3333
- Montana: Disability Rights Montana – (406) 449-2344
- Nebraska: Disability Rights Nebraska – (800) 422-6691
- Nevada: Nevada Disability Advocacy & Law Center – (888) 349-3843
- New Hampshire: Disability Rights Center New Hampshire – (800) 834-1721
- New Jersey: Disability Rights New Jersey – (609) 292-9742
- New Mexico: Disability Rights New Mexico – (800) 432-4682
- New York: Disability Rights New York – (800) 993-8982
- North Carolina: Disability Rights North Carolina – (877) 235-4210
- North Dakota: Disability Rights North Dakota – (701) 328-2950
- Ohio: Disability Rights Ohio – (800) 282-9181
- Oklahoma: Oklahoma Disability Law Center, Inc. – (800) 880-7755
- Oregon: Disability Rights Oregon – (888) 339-VOTE
- Pennsylvania: Disability Rights Pennsylvania – (215) 238-8070
- Rhode Island: Rhode Island Disability Law Center – (401) 831-3150
- South Carolina: Protection & Advocacy of South Carolina – (866) 275-7273
- South Dakota: South Dakota Advocacy Services – (800) 658-4782
- Tennessee: Disability Rights Tennessee – (615) 732-6965
- Texas: Disability Rights Texas – (888) 796-VOTE
- Utah: Disability Law Center – (800) 662-9080
- Vermont: Disability Rights Vermont – (800) 834-7890
- Virgin Islands: Disability Rights Center of the Virgin Islands – (340) 772-1200
- Virginia: disAbility Law Center of Virginia – (800) 552-3962
- Washington: Disability Rights Washington – (206) 324-1521
- West Virginia: West Virginia Advocates – (304) 346-0847
- Wisconsin: Disability Rights Wisconsin – (844) DIS-VOTE
- Wyoming: Wyoming Protection & Advocacy System – (877) 854-5041
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