U.S. Senate Bill 3206: The Accessible Voting Act

Disability Matters with Joyce Bender

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

#AdvocacyMatters Segment

U.S. Senate Bill 3206, The Accessible Voting Act

Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey has introduced U.S. Senate Bill 3206, the Accessible Voting Act.

The legislation amends the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 to increase voting access for people with disabilities and older individuals.  Currently, Senate Bill 3206 has 5 cosponsors, including Senators Klobuchar (D-MN), Gillibrand (D-NY), Wyden (D-OR), Menendez (D-NJ), and Merkley (D-OR).

There are three main parts of the legislation.

• The legislation would establish the Election Assistance Commission Office of Accessibility.  The Office on Accessibility would add a National Resource Center on Accessible Voting.  Among other tasks, the new Resource Center would provide training to election officials and poll workers to create compliant accessible polling places.
• The legislation would establish new state accessible election websites and sets up partnerships between State election officials and community-based organizations, including disability advocacy groups to monitor and verify accessibility.
• Finally, the legislation would expand and reauthorize federal programs that work on voting access for persons with disabilities.

#AdvocacyMatters.  The United States has entered another primary election cycle when voters with disabilities continue to be concerned about access.  Our concerns include polling places and a secure and accessible ballot.  Please look at Senator Casey’s legislation.  The proposed policies are the kind that the government and our communities should consider moving forward.

Visit disabilityrightspa.org for the links to the legislation, a fact sheet about the bill, as well as links to the Election Assistance Commission and other useful information.  That’s disabilityrightspa.org.

S.3206, The Accessible Voting Act

1. 3206 Fact Sheet

 

Election Assistance Commission

 

American Association of People with Disabilities Voter Resource Center

 

National Disability Rights Network Press Release on S. 3206