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Advancing the Human & Civil Rights of People with Disabilities in Illinois

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Overview

Protecting your right to voteVoting Booth, 300x300

Our Voting Rights Project works to ensure that people with disabilities are able to vote and are able to do so privately and independently. We do this by:

  • Conducting voter registration activities
  • Working with election authorities to enforce voter accessibility laws
  • Working with authorities to increase poll worker sensitivity to issues affecting voters with disabilities
  • Guiding people with disabilities through the electoral process
  • Troubleshooting individual problems

Voter registration and education

We help guide people with disabilities through voter registration. We work with them to answer questions and ensure that their paperwork is completed properly.  We also provide training on what rights people with disabilities have in the electoral process, including the right to receive assistance when voting at the polling place.

Enforcing laws and working with election authorities

Equip for Equality routinely works with election authorities to help ensure that people with disabilities can vote and that all voter accessibility laws are enforced.  This includes conducting polling place surveys to ensure that the location and setup of the polling place meet the needs of people with disabilities. This allows them to navigate the polling place and cast their ballot privately and independently.  In addition, we tell election authorities about problems we anticipate or encounter, and we work to resolve those issues on Election Day and throughout the year.

We’re there for you on Election Day

On Election Day, Equip for Equality runs a help line for people with disabilities to call to ask questions and report problems they find while voting.  Our advocates troubleshoot those issues and intervene with election authorities to resolve them.  We also provide individual advocacy on voting issues throughout the year to help people with disabilities enforce their rights.

 

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If you have a question about voting rights or would like to schedule a voter registration or training, please contact:

Cheryl Jansen
cherylj2@equipforequality.org 
(217) 544-0464 ext. 6013

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Last updated: September 10, 2021

This website is made possible by funding support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, both the Administration on Developmental Disabilities and the Center for Mental Health Services of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; and the U.S. Department of Education, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. The contents of this website are solely the responsibility of Equip for Equality and do not necessarily represent the official view of any of these agencies.

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