Federal Election – Older People Advance to the Front of the Line
Public Law 98-435
Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act
During the presidential election in 2016, I was shocked to see older voters in line with walkers trying to stand and wait their turn. An older female voter in front of me, breathing heavily and gripping her walker, mumbled that she couldn’t stand any longer. I told her that the law allowed her to go to the front of the line if she asked. “I don’t want to make a fuss.” While my husband held my place in line, I complained about it. They found a folding chair for the disabled black woman I was trying to help and people in the line moved it along with her until she voted.
Advocate for yourself! A law was passed in 2015 for persons age 70 and older and physically disabled voters. Request to move to the front of the line. They must comply.
PL 98-435:
- The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984 generally requires polling places across the United States to be physically accessible to people with disabilities for federal elections.
- Where no accessible location is available to serve as a polling place, a political subdivision must provide an alternate means of casting a ballot on the day of the election.
- This law also requires states to make available registration and voting aids for disabled and elderly voters, including information by telecommunications devices for the deaf (TDDs) which are also known as teletypewriters (TTYs).
- Effective September 15, 2015: A polling official may allow a voter who is physically disabled or over the age of 70 to move to the front of the line at a polling place upon request of the voter.
Print this and take it with you. You may need to produce it to let them know you are aware of your rights. It is only three pages:
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