Accessible Voting

August 2014 – In preparation of the 2014 Congressional Elections, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is compelling states to make online ballot-marking systems accessible to voters with disabilities. The Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) requires all states allow certain U.S. citizens to vote by absentee ballot in federal elections.

February 2014 — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will host Dr. Juan E. Gilbert, Chair of the Human-Centered Computing Division at Clemson University, as the latest speaker for the Accessibility and Innovation Speaker Series.  Dr. Gilbert, a winner of the Chairman’s Awards for Advancement in Accessibility, will present on “Innovation in Voting Accessibility,” and discuss Prime III, “a secure, multimodal electronic voting system developed by his lab.” The presentation will be held on March 11, 2014 at 9:00 a.m.

January 2014 — The Presidential Commission on Election Administration released a report providing recommendations to streamline the voting process.  The formation of the Commission follows the 2012 election, where long lines and inaccessibility hindered voters. The Commission’s report highlights that the accommodations made for voters with disabilities or limited English proficiency varies widely with location.