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Category: Beto O’Rourke

8 Democratic Campaigns Participate in Forum Focused on People with Disabilities and Health CareLogo for Presidential Candidate Forum by Accessibility for All with accessibility symbols. Text: Candidate Forum for Voters with Disabilities

8 Democratic Campaigns Participate in Forum Focused on People with Disabilities and Health Care

Published by Eric Ascher on November 1, 2019

Washington, D.C., Nov. 1 – Tomorrow in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, eight campaigns are set to participate in a history-making Accessibility, Inclusion, and Outreach Conference focused specifically on issues that affect people with disabilities. This is important, as while recent polling suggests that voters with disabilities themselves are more enthusiastic about participating in the 2020 elections than the nation at large, none of the campaigns are yet fully accessible to the disability community.

“It is vital for the democratic process to be open to all people and all means all – including people with disabilities,” said Lauren Appelbaum, vice president, communications of RespectAbility. “The majority of voters have a friend or family member with a disability or have a disability themselves. It is truly exciting that eight campaigns will be focusing their attention on addressing the 1-in-5 people living in America with a disability.”

Seven of the Democratic candidates will participate themselves. They are:

  • Sen. Cory Booker 
  • Mayor Pete Buttigieg
  • Rep. John Delaney
  • Sen. Amy Klobuchar
  • Rep. Beto O’Rourke
  • Sen. Bernie Sanders
  • Mr. Andrew Yang 

Additionally, former Sen. Chris Dodd will speak on behalf of Vice President Joe Biden.

According to “Accessibility For All Now,” the organizers of the Forum, candidates will answer questions posed by people with disabilities and members of the Linn County Medical Society, which is co-hosting the forum. 

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Presidential Candidates Discriminate Against Voters with DisabilitiesPhotos of the 13 candidates covered in the Miami Lighthouse Report. Text: 2020 Campaign Accessibility

Presidential Candidates Discriminate Against Voters with Disabilities

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 12, 2019

Four Candidates – Biden, Booker, Warren, Yang – Have Made Substantial Improvements in Website Accessibility Washington, D.C., Sept. 12 – Nearly three months after a report by the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired found that all of the presidential candidates’ websites block democratic access to voters who are blind…

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On ADA Anniversary, O’Rourke Calls for Americans with Disabilities to Have Full Access to Education, Opportunity and the WorkforceRobert "Beto" O'Rouke talking in a microphone.

On ADA Anniversary, O’Rourke Calls for Americans with Disabilities to Have Full Access to Education, Opportunity and the Workforce

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on July 30, 2019

Washington, D.C., July 30 – “The ADA is a landmark law—but recently, it has been under attack,” Beto O’Rourke tweeted in commemoration of the 29th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) on Friday. “29 years after its passage, let’s build a country where Americans with disabilities have full access to education, opportunity,…

Continue readingOn ADA Anniversary, O’Rourke Calls for Americans with Disabilities to Have Full Access to Education, Opportunity and the Workforce
With 13 Candidates Celebrating the Anniversary of the ADA, Will They Talk About Disability at the Debates?Photos of the 13 candidates who celebrated the anniversary of the ADA. Text: 2020 Candidates and the ADA Anniversary

With 13 Candidates Celebrating the Anniversary of the ADA, Will They Talk About Disability at the Debates?

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on July 30, 2019

Washington, D.C., July 30 – This year marks the 29th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) becoming law. The ADA was intended to ensure that people with disabilities could earn an income and achieve independence, just like anyone else. With the Democratic candidates debating this week in Detroit,…

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How Accessible and Inclusive Are the Presidential Candidates’ Campaigns?Headshots of 21 2020 candidates featured in this piece. Text: 2020 Campaign Accessibility

How Accessible and Inclusive Are the Presidential Candidates’ Campaigns?

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on June 26, 2019

How to Tell If a Presidential Campaign is Inclusive of People with Disabilities Washington, D.C., June 26 – On the eve of the first round of Democratic debates, it is important to remember that one important group of swing voters are people with disabilities, who comprise 20 percent of our…

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Will Voters with Disabilities Determine Campaign 2020?Accessibility Symbols and the seal of the President of the United States

Will Voters with Disabilities Determine Campaign 2020?

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on June 25, 2019

Washington, D.C., June 25 – Two separate bipartisan polls following the last presidential election showed that voters with disabilities and their family and friends voted in big numbers for President Donald Trump. Fully three-quarters of likely voters either have a disability themselves or have a family member, or a close friend with disabilities. Therefore, as the 2020 campaign heats up, it is in the best interest of every presidential candidate and the citizens of this country for candidates to recognize disability issues during their campaigns.

“Candidates for office ignore the disability community at their peril,” said former U.S. Representative and Dallas Mayor Steve Bartlett. Bartlett, who was a primary author of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, is the board chair of RespectAbility, a Washington-based nonpartisan nonprofit that fights stigmas and advances opportunities so people with disabilities can participate in all aspects of community. “People with disabilities are politically active swing voters, and candidates should take note of the important issues they care about.”

According to the Census Bureau, more than 56 million Americans live with some form of disability. This can include visible conditions such as spinal cord injuries, visual impairments or hearing loss to people living with invisible disabilities such as learning disabilities, mental health or Autism.

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Beto Campaign Pledges to Protect Civil Rights of People with DisabilitiesRobert "Beto" O'Rouke talking in a microphone.

Beto Campaign Pledges to Protect Civil Rights of People with Disabilities

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on June 12, 2019

Washington, D.C., June 12 – The inclusion of people with disabilities in society is personal to Rep. Robert “Beto” O’Rourke, whose youngest sister has an intellectual and developmental disability. While disability has been a part of his life since childhood, he is newly committing to it in this presidential campaign.…

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Beto O’Rourke Campaigns with Disability In MindBeto O'Rourke stands in front of a mountainous background with his hands in his pockets, smiling.