#AdvocacyMatters: Plan Your Vote

April 18, 2025

Every election matters, and every vote has the power to shape the future of our community.

According to a 2024 study by Rutgers University, 1 in 6 eligible voters has a disability. That translates to 40.2 million people. In 2020, nearly 62% of people with disabilities voted – an 8% increase from 2016. As people with disabilities make up a large block of voters and are voting in increasing numbers, the disabled community has tremendous power to shape society with the power of their vote.

The upcoming Ohio Primary on May 6th offers voters a chance to weigh in on the upcoming race for Ohio governor and school levies, as well as other important ballot measures.

As in every election, it is essential that voters take the time to plan their vote.

View your ballot before you go to the polls so you are aware of the people and issues you will vote on: https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/toolkit/sample-ballot/

First, how will you cast your ballot? Do you prefer to vote using an absentee ballot, use early voting, or vote on election day?

If you want to vote by absentee ballot, sometimes called voting by mail, be sure to request an absentee ballot. The last day to request an absentee ballot for the May election is April 29. You can fill out an online form here, or contact your board of election and ask them to mail you the request form.

Pro tip: if your other forms of ID (drivers’ license, state ID, or passport) are expired or unavailable, you can still vote absentee using the last four digits of your social security number.

Early voting is a great option that allows voters to head to the polls on their schedule. Early voting has already begun for the May 6 election. Boards of election are open for early voting from 8-5, with extended hours April 28 – May 4. You can view the complete schedule here.

Election Day Voting – be sure to look up the location of your polling place, as they can change locations from election to election. If possible, visit your polling location ahead of time to ensure that the building is accessible.

Second: Will you need any assistance or accommodations to help with the voting process?

Some common accommodations include:

• Using curbside voting, where poll workers bring the ballot out to your car if you are physically unable to enter the polling location.
• Using accessible voting equipment at the polling place to assist with voting. This can include large print, braille and tactile lettering, or audio ballots. The polling place must provide assistive technology for voters with disabilities when requested.
• Receiving help voting. If you are disabled, you can receive help with any part of the voting process. Anyone who is not a candidate on the ballot, an employer or employer’s agent, nor an officer or agent of a union can come into the voting booth with you to assist you. You can also request assistance from a poll worker to read and mark your ballot. If you need assistive technology to help you with voting, you can take that into the voting booth with you, along with any notes or materials you need. If you do request assistance with the voting process, please note that no one who assists can tell you how to vote or disclose any information about how you voted.
• For more information about accessible voting, visit the secretary of state’s website: https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/voters-with-disabilities/resources/

If you need reasonable accommodations to vote, we recommend that you plan to vote early if possible, and contact your local board of elections to make sure that the polling place is equipped to assist you.

If you have questions about accessible voting, or need help requesting reasonable accommodations, you can contact Disability Rights Ohio by calling our main office at 614-466-7264 or use our online portal here: https://www.disabilityrightsohio.org/intake-form.

Rutgers University Study: https://www.smlr.rutgers.edu/news-events/smlr-news/402-million-eligible-voters-disabilities-51-jump

Absentee ballot request: https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/absentee-ballot/

Early voting schedule: https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/current-voting-schedule/

Look up your polling place: https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/toolkit/polling-location/