People with Mental Disabilities have the right to vote!

 

Everyone wants to vote this year, including voters with mental disabilities. If you are a voter with a mental disability, you should know your rights. Knowing your rights will help make sure you can vote. Take this piece of paper with you when you go to vote so that you know what your rights are.

You can also show this to others if you run into any problems. This paper tells lawyers and poll workers where
to find the laws that protect your right to vote!

YOU DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE!

 ·         If you are a person with a mental disability and understand what it means to vote, Federal law guarantees your right to vote.

The law that gives you that right: The Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §12132; Doe v. Rowe, 156 F.Supp.2d 35 (D.Me.2001).

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO GET HELP FROM A PERSON YOU CHOOSE!

·         If you can't read or need help voting because of your disability, you can have someone help you vote.* You can bring a friend, family member or someone else you trust.

·         You can also ask the poll worker to help you if you didn't bring anyone with you.

The law that gives you that right: The Voting Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. §§1973aa-6; The Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. '§ 12132

IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, YOU CAN GET HELP BY CALLING 1-866-OUR-VOTE

·         Lawyers are available to give voters with disabilities and other voters advice and help with voting problems, so
call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683).

THE LAW SAYS EVERYONE GETS TO CAST A BALLOT, SO DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT VOTING!

·         Even if someone says you cannot vote, the law says the poll worker must allow you to vote a Provisional Ballot.

          Later, an election worker will determine whether you are qualified to vote. If you are, your vote will be counted.

     The law that gives you that right: The Help America Vote Act, 42 U.S.C. § 15482

Make sure all votes are counted!

From bringyourid.org, http://www.bringyourid.org/index.htm: Remember to bring your identification when you vote and tell your friends to do the same!

Because of a new law, you'll probably need an ID if you are a recently registered voter, or if you have changed your address. Seventeen states will require ID from all voters. To be on the safe side, we suggest that everyone bring an
ID.

WHAT ID SHOULD YOU BRING?

A driver's license or another government issued photo ID with your current address and signature is the best form of ID and acceptable in ALL states. If you don't have a government ID with a current address or signature, don't worry, there are other forms of acceptable ID. Many states will accept a utility bill, student ID, or official correspondence. To find out exactly what is required for your state,

* Visit the page for your state, http://www.bringyourid.org/states.htm

or

* Call the national Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE (Call prior to Election Day if possible. If it's after hours, leave a message with your phone number and someone will get back with you.) The hotline can also tell you how to vote early (before Election Day), a great option to avoid any problems on November 2.

PROVISIONAL BALLOTS

Even if you don't have an ID, go to the polls to vote anyway -- as a last resort, you can still cast a provisional ballot (also known as a challenge ballot or question ballot) without an ID. Note that in some states, certain provisional ballots won't count, so check the state-by-state requirements to make sure you vote does count!

[visit http://www.bringyourid.org/faq.htm#ProvisionalBallot  for more information on provisional ballots].

[visit http://www.bringyourid.org/states.htm  for your state's requirements.]

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Learn more about voting ID requirements through our Frequently Asked Questions, http://www.bringyourid.org/faq.htm

And no matter what, make sure you VOTE on NOVEMBER 2ND or by early voting -- this election is too important for anyone to stay home!

Polling Place Locator

There is now an online, accessible polling place locator. To find your polling place, go to www.mypollingplace.com. You will be asked to put in your home address and zip code. In addition to your polling place address, there is other useful information that the website reports.

Is your polling place inaccessible?  Report it now!

If you know your polling place is going to be inaccessible, phone it in to the Election Protection hotline, report the location of your polling place, and how it’s inaccessible to voters with disabilities.  As of today, only 35 calls of disability access problems have been logged, yet a 2001 GAO report shows that 84% of the country’s polling places are inaccessible.  AAPD is collecting data to work on access after the 2004 election.  Your call will help AAPD train the Election Protection operators if accessibility complaints come in prior to Election Day.   

Anyone who has a problem at a polling place should call the Election Protection hotline at (866) OUR-VOTE, {866-687-8683}, a national hotline staffed with attorneys and voting rights advocates.  Hearing impaired callers need to use relay systems. 

Angela Katsakis, Disability Vote Project Coordinator, American Association of People With Disabilities (AAPD), 202-457-0046 x25, 202-457-0473 fax, 1629 K Street NW, Suite 503, Washington, DC  20006, Visit our website at www.aapd-dc.org, aapdvote@earthlink.net

Call your local Board of Elections before Election Day to find the location of your polling place and its accessibility features is part of good planning.  Election Day is Tuesday, November 2, 2004.  As Justin Dart said, “Vote as if your life depended on it, because it does.”