With voting underway in New Jersey, advocates and county clerks across the state are working to ensure equal access to the ballot for people with disabilities. Jesse Burns, executive director of the League of Women Voters of New Jersey, highlighted that multiple voting options make it more likely voters will find an option that suits them.
Despite some progress, people with disabilities still vote at lower rates than their non-disabled counterparts, though recent years have seen a narrowing of this gap. In 2022, voter turnout among citizens with disabilities rose by 1.6 points nationally, while turnout among citizens without disabilities declined by the same amount, according to a U.S. Election Assistance Commission and Rutgers University report.
This upward trend was noted across all demographic categories, with young voters with disabilities showing particularly strong increases.
New Jersey’s estimated 945,200 eligible voters with disabilities face barriers like inaccessible polling locations and limited transportation options. Nybil Ghanem of the Alliance Center for Independence shared that while her current polling location is accessible, she previously encountered difficulties, including a steep ramp while training as a poll worker in Middlesex County.
Advocates like Mary Ciccone of Disability Rights New Jersey emphasize that transportation remains a significant barrier. Disability Rights NJ’s Protection and Advocacy for Voter Access program aims to overcome such barriers by educating voters on their rights and offering resources like a voter guide and hotline.
Curbside voting, which allows a poll worker to bring a ballot to a voter waiting outside the polling place, is one accessibility feature that advocates like Burns believe could make early voting easier.
Burns also pointed out that long lines and inaccessible ballot drop boxes create additional challenges, calling for a post-election review to improve accessibility in future elections.