Help the elderly and disabled vote in the KC area, because democracy is for everyone

We’ve all been thrown a curve ball by the impact the coronavirus pandemic is already having on the November election. Because of my professional work in the disability community and with the elderly, I’ve seen the lengths people with special needs and disabilities must go to just to cast their ballots. Many of these Americans must learn a new way to participate in this election.

Having a say in who leads our cities, states and country has become even more important to those voters because of these turbulent times. Accusations of voter fraud tied to mail-in ballots create needless confusion for people who can’t physically make it to the polls. This pandemic poses a serious health threat not only to those with special needs, but to our country’s democracy itself.

According to a 2018 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 61 million people in the United States have some type of disability, and more than 35 million of them are eligible to vote.

Thankfully, they are protected by the 1984 Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act. Polling places in federal elections must be physically accessible to people with disabilities. Polling locations in the metropolitan area have accommodations for voters in wheelchairs. People who are blind or visually impaired can use technology that reads the ballot out loud. Everyone with disabilities can request special help from a poll worker or bring someone with them to assist.

In last year’s Johnson County election, I assisted a 41-year-old woman with intellectual disabilities at the polls. She lives in a group home and rides a bus to work, but getting to the polls was a challenge. Together we reviewed a sample ballot so she could prepare, and off we went. The trained poll workers accompanied us to a booth, explained the mechanics and stood by as she cast her ballot. You should have seen how proud she was to be given an “I voted” sticker.

Other help is available for people with special needs. For example, activities directors in senior developments, rehab centers or nursing homes can request mail-in ballots. Someone the residents trust can take their ballots to a secure ballot drop box.

During my lifetime, the legal right to vote has been significantly expanded five times, beginning with the 1965 Voting Rights Act. We forget that 18-year-olds couldn’t always vote, and that those not proficient in English were once denied assistance at the polls. Today, we don’t give a thought to how easy it is to register to vote when we apply for our driver’s licenses. That wasn’t always the case. So many obstacles have been removed.

I’ve heard people say they may not vote because they don’t like either of the presidential candidates. But what about our city, county and state elections? Joy Koesten, a candidate for Kansas Senate District 11, recently spoke about the impact voting in those elections has on our daily lives. She reminded us that key decisions made in our local communities have far-reaching effects on our lives for years to come. Here in Kansas, in the case of a tie in many down-ballot races, the outcome is determined by the toss of a coin. That’s fine to see who gets first possession of the ball in a football game, but not for who will decide issues such as taxes, education and Medicaid expansion.

Voting is physically challenging for many and requires extra effort for others. If you know someone who needs assistance, whether it’s riding to the polls or dropping off a ballot, offer to help.

As Americans, we have always found a way. Please do not squander this sacred opportunity to vote.

This story was originally published October 13, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Help the elderly and disabled vote in the KC area, because democracy is for everyone."