Know Your Voting Rights: A Toolkit for Voters with Disabilities (2nd Edition)

Voting Rights at a Glance

As a voter with disabilities your rights are legally protected including:

• The right to vote privately and independently.
• The right to vote in a polling place that is accessible and free of physical barriers.
• The right to vote using an accessible voting machine to mark your ballot.
• The right to get help with voting from a person of your choice except your employer or
  union representative.
• Individuals under guardianship do not lose their right to vote. Your guardian cannot
  prevent you from voting.

Voter Registration

• You can register at your city or town clerk’s office up to 10 days
  before the election.
• You can register on election day at your polling place.

To Register to vote you MUST have proof of:

• Identity: Government-issued ID like a license or passport
• Age: Government-issued ID or birth certificate
• Citizenship: Passport, birth certificate, or naturalization papers. Real ID is NOT proof of citizenship.
• Residence (proof of where you live): Including but not limited to government-issued ID, utility or property tax bill, state or federal tax forms

To vote you MUST bring a photo ID. Examples include: Driver’s License, Passport, Non-Driver’s ID

Without these required documents, you will be turned away from the polls. For the most up-to-date information, please check our Voter Identification Requirements insert at drcnh.org/know-your-rights/id-requirements.

10 Things Voters with Disabilities Need to Know

1. You Have the Right to Vote Independently and Privately

   • No one can tell you how to vote or stop you from voting if you are eligible. It is your choice. Your vote is private and you can keep it a secret.

2. Someone Can Help You Vote

   • Help can be provided by a friend, family member, caregiver, service provider, or a poll worker. The only people who cannot help you mark or cast your ballot are your employer or union representative.

3. You Can Vote by Absentee Ballot

   • If you can’t vote in person because of your disability, you have the right to request an absentee ballot. An absentee ballot allows you to complete your ballot at home and either mail it in or deliver your ballot to your town or city clerk. You can get more information on how to vote absentee at: drcnh.org/voting-rights/know-your-voting-rights-absentee-voting.

4. You Have the Right to an Accessible Polling Place

   • Federal laws require all polling sites to be physically accessible. These laws ensure equal access for people with disabilities, including voters who use wheelchairs or who have vision loss. If your polling place is not accessible, you have the right to curbside voting where an absentee ballot is brought to you in your car or other accessible location outside of the polling location.

5. You Can Use the Accessible Voting System

   • NH’s accessible voting system is called the OmniBallot Tablet. Accessible voting is available at every polling place for all elections. The OmniBallot Tablet is not connected to the internet and it is secure. Any registered voter can use the system. A blind or vision impaired person can use the system independently. Assistance is not necessary to vote but help is available if needed. For additional information visit futureinsight.org/nhaccessiblevoting.

6. You Can Register Anytime, Even on Election Day

   • There is no minimum period of time you are required to have lived in New Hampshire before being allowed to register. You may register to vote as soon as you move into your new community. Simply visit your local town or city clerk’s office. You will need to complete a standard Voter Registration Form and show proof that you reside in the town or city where you will vote. For more information on where to register visit: app.sos.nh.gov/viphome. Remember, you can register to vote on election day at the polling place.

7. You Have the Right to Bring Your Service Animal

   • Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, service animals are allowed to go in areas of the polling place where the public is allowed to go.

8. You Have the Right to Vote Even if:

   • You have a guardian: Your right to vote cannot be taken away because you are under a guardianship, nor can a judge deny your right to vote because you have a guardian.
   • You are unhoused: You do not need a permanent address to register and vote. You can use a shelter, a place you usually stay, or another location you consider home. For further assistance contact the NH Coalition to End Homelessness at www.nhceh.org.
   • You were convicted of a felony: Once you are released from prison, your voting rights are automatically restored. You can vote while on parole or probation. If you have been convicted for a lesser crime (misdemeanor) or are awaiting trial, you do not lose your right to vote at all and can vote via absentee ballot while serving your sentence. Call us for more information.

9. You Have the Right to Complain About Voting Issues

   • If you believe that your right to vote has been violated, you can file a complaint with the New Hampshire Secretary of State. You can also contact Disability Rights Center- NH at mail@drcnh.org for assistance.

10. Learn About the Issues and Candidates Before Election Day

    • drcnh.org/issue-areas/voting
    • justfacts.votesmart.org
    • ballotpedia.org/New_Hampshire
    • sos.nh.gov/elections/elections