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May 27, 2003 -- The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services has announced the availability of $13 million in grants for states to improve access to voting for individuals with disabilities.
The grants are designed to enable state and local governments to make polling sites accessible and to provide "outreach and education" about the access. Funds can also be used, says HHS, "to train poll workers, elections officials and volunteers on methods to promote access and increase voter participation for individuals with disabilities."
The funds will be distributed in FY 2003 by HHS' Administration on Developmental Disabilities, part of the Administration for Children and Families. The program is authorized by the Help America Vote Act.
More on the Help America Vote Act and access
EXPERTS:
Kay Schriner and Douglas Kruse have conducted a number of studies about voting access and persons with disabilities.
Kay Schriner, Ph.D., Department of Political Science
University of Arkansas
501-575-6417 (direct)
501-575-3356 (reception)
kays@comp.uark.eduDouglas Kruse, School of Management and Labor Relations
Rutgers University
732-445-5991
dkruse@rci.rutgers.edu
The Trace R&D Center was formed in 1971 to address the communication needs of people who are nonspeaking and have severe disabilities. Its director is Gregg Vanderheiden.
Gregg Vanderheiden
Trace Research and Development Center
(608) 263-2309
info@trace.wisc.edu
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST:
The following sites contain information that may be of interest. Please bear in mind that the information at these sites is not controlled by the Center for An Accessible society. Links to these sites do not imply that the Center supports either the organizations or the views presented.
The Project on Disability Politics at the University of Arkansas looks at political participation of people with disabilities, voting rights laws affecting people with disabilities and disability in American campaigns and elections."Voters with disabilities face discrimination nationwide," A report in the November/December 2000 issue of Ragged Edge magazine
The Trace Research & Development Center's efforts to make electronic voting machines easier to use for the average citizen, our aging population and people with disabilities can be found at http://trace.wisc.edu/world/kiosks/ez/voting/
The National Organization on Disability's "Getting Out The Disability Vote" campaign has background and commentary http://www.nod.org/vote2000/vote2000.html
Overview
Voting in America -- commentary
Polling sites remain inaccessible
- GAO Report details lack of access
- Disabled voters sue Florida
- Disabled voters sue DC
- Disabled voters sue CA
Studies: