VOTER ALERT - NOVEMBER 5 IS ELECTION DAY

Know Your Rights! Exercise Your Rights! Enforce your Rights!

"Vote as though your life depended on it, because it does!" -Justin Dart Jr.

For years, Illinois voters have been told in jest to "vote early and vote often." But for people with disabilities, getting to an accessible voting booth on time and being able to vote once when they get there is often a frustrating and sometimes insurmountable challenge. Historically, individuals with disabilities have had a low voting record. This is not surprising, since they have faced a litany of obstacles to the voting process.

Impediments to voting begin with inadequate and poorly and inaccessibly disseminated information about the candidates and voting procedures. Then imagine going to the polls on election day only to find that your polling place is inaccessible entirely or that there is no accessible parking. If you do make it inside, the election judges might be ill-informed about procedures for people with disabilities and thus unable to provide meaningful assistance - or the voting booths might be too small and the equipment for voting user-unfriendly. The outright denial of the right to vote also exists for people with mental illness and those who are institutionalized.

If you know your rights and know the services that are available to you before you go to the polls, you can go a long way to assure that your right to vote will not be taken away and that your very important voice will be heard. And make no mistake, your voice counts!

Accessibility Improvements

There have been some recent improvements in voter accessibility in Illinois. In both Cook County and Chicago, there are wider voting booths to accommodate wheelchairs, round styluses to assist those with dexterity impairments and magnifiers to assist visually impaired voters. Many communities have improved equipment, and some have installed equipment that checks for errors in voting. But much still depends upon the voter.

Tips Before You Go to the Polls

To be eligible to vote, you must register at least 28 days prior to the election. Registration may be done by mail, but you may not be able to vote absentee the first time after registering by mail. Check with your local election agency.
All polls in Illinois are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. You have to be in line to vote by closing time in order to vote and cannot be denied the right to vote if you are in line by that time.
Learn your candidates' views on issues relating to people with disabilities. Attend and participate in candidate forums; insist that such forums be accessible.
Find out whether your polling place is accessible. Contact your local election authority and ask specific questions about accessibility as it relates to you. What the government thinks is accessible may not be. Check Cook County's Web site for accessible polling places. According to a survey reported on the Web site of the State Board of Elections, the overwhelming majority of polling places in Illinois are accessible. Perhaps.
You may vote by absentee ballot if you are "incapacitated" or hospitalized (among other things). If you intend to vote by absentee ballot, familiarize yourself with the procedures in your county or city.
If you wish assistance in the voting booth, and you do not want to obtain it from election workers, identify in advance a person to bring with you to the polling place. You may be required to sign an affidavit that you need assistance.

As a Voter and a Voter with a Disability...

You have the right to a secret ballot.
You have the right to have a person of your choice assist you in the voting booth.
You have the right to request and obtain assistance in the polling booth by election officials (one from each party).
You have the right to accessible voting. If your polling place is inaccessible, other alternativesmust be provided, such as absentee ballots, curbside voting (portable polling booth), alternative equipment and nursing home voting. Check with your local election board to find out what is available in your district and how to access it.
You have the right to receive a new ballot if you make a mistake.
You have the right to vote by affidavit if your registration is mistakenly challenged.
You have the right to vote free from interference or harassment.
You have the right to vote if you meet the requirements of residence, age, citizenship and registration; you may not be denied the right to vote due to cognitive impairments or mental illness. =

Useful Resources

To learn about pending disability issues and the candidates' views, contact:

ADAPT (http://www.adapt.org) 303-733-9324

Council for Disability Rights (http://www.disabilityrights.org) 312-444-9484

Alliance for the Mentally Ill (http://www.il.nami.org) 217-922-1403

Candidates' Individual Web Sites

To determine what district you are in, who your local election agency is and other statewide information, contact:

State Board of Elections (http://www.elections.state.il.us) 217-782-4141-Springfield 312-814-6440-Chicago

Cook County Clerk (http://www.cookctclerk.com) 312-603-5656 (Voice) 312-603-4425 (TTD)

Chicago Board of Elections (http://www.chicagoelections.com) 312-296-7900

Sangamon County (http://www.co.sangamon.il.us/election/) 217-753-6600

To learn more about the voting rights of people with disabilities, contact:

U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division Voting Section (http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting/) 800-253-3931 (Voice/TTY)

Illinois Attorney General Disability Rights Bureau (http://www.ag.state.il.us/Chicago) Chicago: 312-814-5684 (Voice) 312- 814-3374 (TTY) Springfield: 217-785-5726 (Voice) 217-785-2771 (TTY)

Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (Chicago) (http://www.cityofchicago.org/disabilities/) 312- 744-7050 (Voice) 312-744-4964 (TTY)

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