So that everyone can vote ...

The New York Times ran a terrific article the other day about the difficulties too many disabled voters face when casting their ballots. This was never easy. Now there is COVID too.

With the virus in the equation, it can be next to impossible.

The number of Americans at risk of disenfranchisement is huge: According to new projections from researchers at Rutgers University, more than 38 million eligible voters have disabilities. That’s more than 16 percent of the electorate. 

This total — nearly that of the entire population of California — includes an estimated 21.3 million eligible voters with mobility disabilities, 13.1 million with cognitive disabilities, 11.6 million with hearing disabilities and seven million with visual disabilities. (Many voters fall into multiple categories.) The disenfranchisement of even a small fraction could swing the election. 

... mail-in voting alone won’t allow everyone with a disability to vote. 

Those of us not currently experiencing physical and other challenges tend think of barriers to wheelchairs when we think about disability at all. 

This proud voter made it to the polls in her rolling chair.

And certainly physical barriers like stairs can keep some voters from the polls. But a particular virtue of the Times story are its anecdotes about other impediments to voting such as advancing multiple sclerosis, various genetic disorders that make venturing out in a pandemic unthinkable, and also various failures to provide adequate accommodation for blind people. 

Erudite Partner is working in Nevada on the election this year and she pointed me to a wonderful accommodation that state's Secretary of State is making available to some disabled voters. Quite a few states make voting by email available to overseas members of the U.S. military. Nevada is opening that opportunity to some disabled residents.

Election officials recognize the diversity as well as the uniqueness of the accessibility needs of the citizens we serve. We are constantly seeking input from the communities we serve and all suggestions, recommendations and concerns will be considered. All reasonable options to ensure each citizen an accessible and independent voting opportunity will be taken into account. 

In April 2020 we were pleased to open up Nevada's Effective Absentee System for Elections, or EASE, to Nevada residents with disabilities. EASE is an online application that seamlessly integrates voter registration and electronic ballot delivery and marking. EASE allows further independence and enables covered voters to register, request, mark and return their ballots from the comforts of their own homes. EASE is available for elections with a federal contest on the ballot 45 days before Election Day at NVEASE.gov.

Voters who didn't know about this have missed the deadline. But it will probably be relatively small pilot projects like this which help election officers learn whether online voting might be feasible on a larger scale. It's easy to be doubtful, but we've learned in the pandemic how much of our lives can move online -- perhaps someday realistic security concerns can be overcome.