Disabled Voters in Brooklyn Must Pre-Plan to Vote, Advocates Say

Though some may go to their local polling site and punch in their vote without thinking much about it, this is not the reality for all Americans.

A projected 40.2 million people with disabilities will be eligible to vote in the November 2024 elections, representing close to one-sixth of the total electorate, according to a recent  research study by Rutgers University. These Americans are running into accessibility issues when going to polling stations and their best form to combat these problems is through pre-planning, according to disability advocates.

“People with disabilities face barriers to voting throughout the country, that includes Brooklyn,” says Evan Yankey, the advocacy director for the Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled. 

The number of eligible voters with disabilities has increased 5.1% since 2020, according to the Rutgers study. 

“No one can see that you're blind or deaf. It's one of the things that once they realize that you do have a challenge, then they're a little more helpful,” said Marc Safman, a deafblind person who is a disability advocate with Safman Consulting, a consulting firm. 

Safman, who spoke at a recent seminar at nonprofit Helen Keller Services about available resources for disabled voters, said planning for transportation to the polling site was one of the first steps. 

City residents can use paratransit or Access-A-Ride service, or rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft, which have discounted rides to the polls on Nov. 5, Safman said. 

Polling sites should have a designated Ballot Marking Device (BMD), a machine that allows voters with disabilities to mark their vote.

Safman said he used magnifiers before he knew about BMDs, which has made voting easier because the machines feature color contrast, text enlargement, braille and audio, all allowing a more accessible experience.

“I’m familiarized with how to use it now, and it's really simple to do,” Safman said, who reminded disabled voters to request the machine when you register and check in to vote. 

An accessible ballot or a mail-in ballot can be used for those with print disabilities, allowing for voters to mark their ballot privately or with help from friends, he said. 

“We have heard issues where people who are either blind, low vision or deafblind go to their polling site and they need certain technology to assist them,” said Jeff Kunkel, chief of programs at Helen Keller Services. 

Since the participation rate of disabled voters is already quite high, having better accessible services at polling sites would boost overall vote count, he said. 

“I think really the prime thing is educating the people who are working in the polling places. They are the point of contact for all of us when we go to vote,” he added. 

The deafblind and blind community have been historically marginalized, according to Safman, who has seen polling places lack accessibility support. 

“Each county has its own little definition [of accessibility], and that if I'm deafblind in New York City, my voting experience should be the same, Green County, Monroe County, Oswego,” he said.