The City of Madison has moved 13 polling locations since the 2016 Presidential Election. 8 of those polling place changes were made to improve accessibility for voters with disabilities or mobility concerns.
Poll workers at each City of Madison polling place use the Disability Rights Wisconsin polling place checklist on election morning to verify accessibility. The Clerk’s Office encourages voters who encounter obstacles on Election Day to notify poll workers or the Clerk’s Office as soon as possible so the issue can be addressed.
Voting is available at the curb of the polling place for voters who find if it is difficult or burdensome to access the room where voting takes place. The poll workers or the Clerk’s Office just need to be notified of the curbside voter.
Voters who are unable to sign or make their mark on the poll book due to a physical disability are exempt from the poll book signature requirement. The voter just needs to inform the poll workers that they cannot sign because of a disability, but they are not required to disclose the nature of their disability to the poll workers.
The ExpressVote, which is available at every City of Madison polling place and absentee voting site, allows voters to mark a ballot using a Braille keypad or a touchscreen with large print and high contrast options. Ballots marked by the ExpressVote are counted by the same machine that counts traditional ballots. The ExpressVote is compatible with sip-and-puff devices. This ballot marking device is available to all eligible voters. It should be positioned in a way that passersby cannot see a voter’s selections. For additional ballot secrecy, voters using the headphones as they select their candidates may choose to black out the screen.
Voters may select anyone to assist them in physically marking their ballot. The only restrictions are that the assistant may not be the voter’s employer or union agent. The assistant will mark the candidates chosen by the voter and will sign the space on the ballot designated for the assistant’s signature.
Voters may request that the Clerk’s Office provide them with a Braille ballot, either as an absentee ballot or as a ballot at the polling place. Advance notice is needed to print the ballot. Voters seeking more information about this option may contact the Clerk’s Office at (608) 266-4601 or [email protected].
Voters who are indefinitely confined to their home due to disability or age may request absentee ballots for all elections. Voters on the permanent absentee list do not need to submit a copy of their ID to the Clerk’s Office. They will continue receiving ballots as long as they return each ballot to the Clerk’s Office. This absentee request can be submitted on paper or online through https://MyVote.wi.gov.
