Voter Registration

Individuals with disabilities are entitled to register to vote if they meet the following criteria:

• Eligibility Requirements:

  • Must be a United States citizen.

  • Must be at least 17 years and 10 months old at the time of registration (18 years old by Election Day to vote).

  • Must not have been finally convicted of a felony, or if so, must have completed all punishment, including incarceration, parole, supervision, probation, or have received a pardon.

    • Note: Deferred adjudication is not considered a final felony conviction.

  • Must not have been determined by a final judgment of a probate court to be totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.

• Guardianship Considerations:

  • Individuals under legal guardianship may be eligible to register, depending on whether the court has revoked their voting rights. Guardianship orders issued after September 1, 2007, are required to specify the individual’s voting rights status.

• Assistance with Registration:

  • Individuals with disabilities may receive assistance in registering to vote from any state agency that provides services to persons with disabilities or from any person of their choosing.

Accessible Voting Systems

• Legislative Milestone:

  • As of September 1, 1999, Texas became the first state to mandate that all new voting systems be accessible to voters with disabilities, ensuring a practical and effective means for casting a secret ballot.

• Availability of Accessible Equipment:

  • In every federal election, and most non-federal elections, each polling place is required to offer at least one type of accessible voting equipment. This equipment enables voters with disabilities to vote directly or assists them in marking a paper ballot. Depending on the system, features may include headphones or other assistive devices to facilitate independent and confidential voting.

• Exceptions and Accommodations:

  • In certain non-federal elections held in counties with a population under 20,000, accessible machines may not be available at every polling place. Voters should contact the early voting clerk of the respective county or political subdivision at least 21 days before the election to determine availability or to request accommodations.

Polling Place Accessibility Standards

Polling places are designed to support all voters. In Texas, polling locations adhere to strict accessibility standards, including:

• Physical Accessibility:

  • Ground floor locations accessible from the street or via an elevator with doors that open at least 36 inches.

  • Doors, entrances, and exits used to enter or leave the polling place that are at least 32 inches wide.

  • Curbs adjacent to the main entrance equipped with curb cuts or temporary non-slip ramps.

  • Stairs necessary to enter or leave the polling place equipped with handrails on each side and a non-slip ramp.

  • Removal of barriers such as gravel, automatically closing gates, closed doors without lever-type handles, or any other obstacles impeding the path of a person with physical disabilities to the voting station.

• Accessible Voting Systems:

  • Voting systems that accommodate various disabilities, including but not limited to: no vision, low vision, no hearing, low hearing, limited manual dexterity, limited reach, limited strength, no mobility, low mobility, or any combination thereof (excluding the combination of no hearing and no vision).

  • Each polling place offers at least one type of accessible voting equipment, allowing voters with disabilities to vote directly on the system or assisting them in marking the paper ballot. Depending on the system, voters may use headphones or other assistive devices to vote independently and confidentially.

Assistance at the Polls

Voters requiring assistance at the polls should inform the election officials. Proof of disability is not required.

• Eligibility for Assistance:

  • As per Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), voters who need assistance to vote due to blindness, disability, or inability to read or write are entitled to receive help.

• Authorized Assistants:

  • Any person of the voter’s choice who is not an election worker.

  • Two election workers on Election Day.

  • One election worker during early voting.

• Prohibited Assistants:

  • The voter’s employer.

  • An agent of the voter’s employer.

  • An officer or agent of the voter’s union.

• Responsibilities of Assistants:

  • Must read the entire ballot to the voter unless instructed otherwise.

  • Must take an oath affirming they will not influence the voter’s decision and will mark the ballot as directed by the voter.

Interpreters at the Polls

Voters who cannot speak English or who communicate only with sign language may use an interpreter to facilitate communication with election officials.

• Selection of Interpreters:

  • The voter may select any person to serve as an interpreter, provided they are not the voter’s employer, an agent of the employer, or an officer or agent of the voter’s union.

• Interpreter as Assistant:

  • If the voter cannot read the languages on the ballot, the interpreter may also act as an assistant, adhering to the procedures outlined for assistants.

• Arranging for Interpreters:

  • Voters who are deaf and do not have a sign language interpreter should contact local election officials before the election to request assistance.