Voting Information

What's on this Page:

Detailed Voting Tips for the Disability Community
Easy Ways to Register to Vote & get Voting Help
Making a Voting Plan, Why It's Important
Resources & Tools for Voters
Voting if You've Been Convicted of a Felony
What Is Push Polling?
What Kind of Ballot Will You Get? Can You Get Paper?
Voter Protection/Assistance Hotlines (no matter where you live)

NOTE: There will be a plain language zine that also has this material, coming soon! Check around October or November, 2025.

Voting Tips for the Disability Community: Detailed

Since 2020, turnout in our community has gone down, as barriers to voting have increased. What’s critical for us is to: have an accessible way to vote & make sure our ballots count. Data from 2024 indicates that a higher number of absentee/mail-in ballots were tossed than in-person ballots, but absentee voting is vital for many of us. For members of marginalized communities, the odds of an absentee ballot being rejected are higher. The goal is to help make our votes easier to cast & be counted, so we’re heard. As of fall 2024, there were 40.2M eligible disabled voters, so if we vote, we can make a difference!

(Stats: Rutgers University, Lake Research Partners, & Greg Palast: Vigilantes, Inc,)

If You Plan to Vote, Put Voter Protection Hotlines in Your Phone Beforehand:
- State Hotlines: Your state voter protection hotline is the best resource, which you can find at our page here. : However, if your state doesn’t have a hotline, there are national notlines here:
- National Hotlines: 833-336-8683, for English & Spanish. You can also call 866-OUR-VOTE if you don’t have a state hotline or can’t get help from the national 833 number.
- Help by Text: If you prefer not to or can’t call, you can ask for help by texting VOTE to 70888. En Espaňol: text VOTO to 70888.

Barriers to Voting & Solutions for the Disability Community

Assistance with Researching & Marking your Ballot: If you’d like to know what your ballot will look like before voting or have questions about a candidate or ballot question, a good resources is ballotready.org. You have the right to take notes into the voting booth & have someone help you mark your ballot & If you don’t have someone you know who can help, you have the right to ask a poll worker. Every voting location should have tools for low vision & deaf or hard hearing voters, as well as a voting booth that’s wheelchair accessible.

Accessibility at the Polls: 27 states & Washington, D.C. have curbside voting by law, which you can find here. Some states without an specific law about curbside voting may be willing provide it if the polling place isn’t accessible, but it may be worth voting by mail in these cases—it can take a lot of time & spoons to make curbside happen. Even states that explicitly offer curbside aren’t always clear about how to access it. If a state offers curbside, there should be a clear way to access it, like a doorbell to press, a sign, or a greeter. Under the ADA, polling places must be accessible & safe. If you go to vote & that’s doesn’t happen, please call your state or national voter protection hotlines for help. There’s an ADA checklist for polling places, which applies in every state, with the requirements for accessibility in more detail. You can find it here.

Absentee/Mail-iIn Ballots: If you’re disabled, you have the right to vote by mail, even in states that only allow absentee voting with an “excuse” or reason to need it). In most states, you have the right to have help returning your ballot. This can include: having someone else mail or drop your ballot off at: (1). your municipal (local) clerk’s office, (2). the polling locations you’re eligible to vote at during early voting periods, (3). your Election Day voting location on Election Day, or, (4). in a drop box, if your state allows for them.

Drop Boxes: Drop boxes aren’t allowed in every state, but they’re available in 33 states & in Washington, D.C. You can go to this website to see if your state allows drop boxes. Make sure to contact your voter protection hotline to double check drop box policies & availability—sometimes the rules change from year to year. Some drop boxes are outside of a building, and some are inside one, but with both types, they may have limited hours for when your ballot can be returned. For example, in some locations with drop boxes, voters can only drop ballots off between certain hours, like from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Make sure you’re going to the right drop box, at a time that it’s available & that works for you. A drop box may be in a place that can make some people uncomfortable, like a police station. If this happens to you, call your state voter protection hotline & report it—they log every call to improve accessibility. Drop boxes are locked after a certain point, & in many places, you can only use them until a certain date. For example, you may only be able to put your ballot in a drop box before the early voting period ends). You can find your state’s specific drop box information here.

IIn 2020, many voters in Milwaukee were mistakenly told they could drop their ballots off at any Milwaukee County drop box/location, but for their ballots to count, the rules said that they could only drop their ballots off in a box in the city of Milwaukee, not the whole county. If voters hadn’t called their state voter protection hotline, their ballots would not have counted. Make sure the place where you want to drop your ballot off is open during the time & date you plan to return it. For example, all of Chicago’s early voting sites in 2024 accepted any resident’s ballot to be returned in any of the local drop boxes or early voting polling places, but that changes on Election Day. On Election Day, voters can often only go to one polling place/drop box site. Many cities allow voters to return absentee ballots to their local (also called city or municipal) clerks, but that may only be available during early voting, so make sure you know your ballot is dropped off at the right location, or it may not count.

Know Your Rights: Disability is defined very broadly. You don’t have to tell anyone what your disability is, & if a poll worker or clerk asks you, you can tell them that you’re not required to share your disability—you just need to tell them that you are disabled. Always notify your voter protection hotline if you or your assistant is turned away when returning a ballot. Temporary conditions count as disabilities, including pregnancy or having recently given birth, testing positive for or having symptoms of illnesses, like COVID & the flu. Being immunocompromised qualifies as a disability. You do not need to meet the requirements that other agencies, like the Social Security Administration use—you can self-identify as disabled & should not be questioned or harassed about what your disability is or told that it doesn’t count. Some people have had a helper drop off their ballots for them, & that person was turned away by an election official who didn’t understand the disability laws. This usually happens because the person helping the voter does not tell an election official that they’re returning a ballot for a disabled voter, so make sure they say that they’re assisting a disabled voter.

Absentee Ballot Return Envelopes: Make sure every box is filled in on your absentee/mail-in ballot envelope. Some reasons ballots have been rejected include: no zip code, no name of the state &/or municipality filled in, no witness address or signature, no voter signature, or the envelope isn’t sealed. If your ballot envelope doesn’t seal well, DO NOT USE TAPE to your ballot’s return envelope, because some election officials reject those ballots, claiming they could have been tampered with. If the envelope is torn or won’t seal, it’s best to return your ballot in person, have someone return it for you in person, or if your state offers it, use a drop box.

If Absentee Voting Becomes a Problem: Sometimes, voters feel like their absentee ballot may be rejected for some reason. The best option in these cases is to take your ballot or have an assistant return it to an early or Election Day in-person location where you’re eligible to vote. Make sure you know the correct address, & don’t assume your polling place is the same as it was in past elections, even if you’ve voted there for years. Election officials ask schools, churches, & other buildings to donate space for people to vote, so your polling place may change, even after a recent election. You can find your early & Election Day polling places by visiting IWillVote.com, checking your state or municipal election officials’ websites (which can be found here) or calling your voter protection hotline.

Witness Requirements for Absentee Ballots: You may need someone to witness or notarize an absentee ballot. They do not need to see who you voted for, & they don’t have the right to ask about your choices, but they may need to watch you fill your ballot out in certain states. Many times, it’s okay for you to fill out your ballot, put it in the envelope, seal it, & sign the envelope, which can make them a witness to you taking those steps. If you have trouble finding a witness, consider asking anyone who is 18 or older, a citizen, & who is not running for office in the election you’re voting in. For example, if a candidate who is running for office offers to be your witness, & you are voting on a race that person is running in, they can’t be your witness in many states. In a few states, instead of a witness, you must have a notary authenticate (confirm) your signature. It’s best to know the rules, so your ballot is counted. Remember, your voter protection hotline can help. Here’s every state’s witness or notary requirements.

For some people, like those who are home or bedbound, it seems hard to find a witness, but it’s easy! For example, a Georgia voter had a receptionist at her long-term care facility be her witness. You can ask almost anyone you know— friends, family, neighbors, postal workers, but if someone is your employee or agent, a state may not let them witness your ballot. In states that require witnesses for absentee ballots, many people are familiar with the process & will say yes if you ask. Think about anyone you might know that would work & if you still feel unsure, call your voter protection hotline—they’ll help you to find a witness or another way to make sure your ballot gets counted.

Make sure your witness fills out all the information the envelope asks them for. Often, the witness’s name, address, & signature are required, but make sure you know your state’s rules, so your vote is counted. With both you & your witness, include your state, city/town, zip code, & sign the envelope where this information is requested—it’s a lot better to be safe & make sure your ballot counts. If a witness feels uncomfortable about filling out part of the ballot envelope, you can contact your voter protection hotline. Your hotline may help persuade someone to fill in the information, reassure a witness that their personal details are only collected to certify your ballot, & explain that you may lose your ability to vote if you don’t have a witness sign & fill out their part of your return envelope. If you still find a witness or feel nervous that your state is asking for it, consider asking your municipal clerk or a poll worker. Many clerks & election workers are familiar with the process & can be your witness. If they’re over 18, a citizen, & not a candidate on your ballot, they’re eligible witness in many states. Often, the witness does not have to be a resident of the state or city you live in, & the address they give just needs to be one where they could be located if needed. For example, a New York resident can be a witness for a Wisconsin absentee voter. Do not submit a ballot with an envelope that isn’t filled in where the state asks for required information—it may not be counted. Your hotline can walk you through the boxes or lines to fill out, so your voice will be heard.

When You or Your Child Is in a Hospital: How to Vote: If you or your child is hospitalized on or shortly before Election Day, you can still vote from the hospital in most states. Contact your state or local election officials, voter protection hotline, or visit patientvoting.com & ask about an emergency absentee ballot. You may able to get this kind of ballot if you were recently discharged from a hospital or live in a long-term care facility. Go to Patient Voting's page here , click on your state, & use the links/QR codes, so you can vote.

Many states allow someone to: (1). pick up your ballot application from your local election office or clerk; (2). bring it to you to fill out; (3). return your application, ID, & proof of residency (if needed) & get your ballot; (4). bring the ballot to you to fill out; & (5). return it for you. This website has more information, & they also often suggest Patient Voting’s website for questions you can’t find an answer to elsewhere . If you can’t get help from either webpage, try: your state’s voter protection hotline, Secretary of State, election officials, municipal clerk, or www.IWillVote.com & ask about an emergency absentee ballot. Depending on the state, you can get your ballot anywhere from several days to a few weeks before Election Day, & you may be able to return the ballot as late as when the polls close on Election Day.

For Voters in Nursing Homes, Group Homes, & other Long-Term Care Facilities : According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid in 2024, “Nursing homes must ensure residents are able to exercise their Constitutional right to vote without interference, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal from the facility, affirming the regulatory expectation that ensures nursing home residents have the unimpeded ability to exercise their right to vote.”

You have several options if you live in a long-term care facility. This page has great information to make sure you can find an option that works for you.. One possible option is mobile polling, where a ballot is brought to you, you fill it out at a long-term care facility, & someone returns it for you. The National Conference of State Legislatures states, “[M]any states have laws that require or allow election officials to bring ballots to [voters] in long-term care facilities through supervised absentee voting programs, sometimes referred to as mobile polling. In these cases, election officials or…trained election workers bring ballots to residents of long-term care facilities. The voter fills out the ballot in the presence of the official or worker and returns it to them. The worker then returns completed ballots to the local election office. Often, the workers or officials are permitted to assist the voter in marking their ballot, but only if the voter requests it.” Supervised absentee voting programs for long-term care facilities are available in 22 states & Guam, & your state election officials or voter protection hotline should be able to help you find a way to make sure your you’re able to vote & have your voice heard.

Making Sure You’re Registered & Counted: Sometimes, you may have registered to vote in the past, but your name was removed from the list of eligible voters. The list may be called the “poll book” or “poll list,” depending on where you live. Make sure to check your voter registration status, ideally about 2-3 weeks before voting begins. You can do this by visiting IWillVote.com or contacting your voter protection hotline. Your hotline can walk you through re-registering to vote if needed or fixing any errors that could make your ballot not count otherwise. If you signed up to vote absentee/by mail but didn’t get a ballot, & it’s 2-3 weeks before voting starts, call your voter protection hotline or local clerk now! Your ballot application &/or ballot may need to be sent to you again, or it may be in the mail. If your ballot application has not arrived by 2-3 weeks before voting starts, you may need to go to your municipal clerk & fill a request out in person. Be sure your ballot counts by tracking it through local or state election officials—their websites should let you know your ballot’s status. If you don’t have internet access, you or a friend should call or text your voter protection hotline—the hotline can check your ballot status for you & tell you what the state records show. Put the first day of voting season in your calendar with a reminder about 2-3 weeks before then, so you know when to reach out if you haven’t gotten your ballot, ballot application, aren’t sure you’re registered, or want to know your vote counted.

If you need an ID: Most states offer a free voting ID that you can get at a driver’s license office or DMV. In some states, you do not have to show your ID if there is a specific reason, like: (1). undue hardship, (2). getting an ID conflicts with other responsibilities, like work/childcare/caretaking, (3). you have a disability, or (4). you can’t afford it. Sometimes, you can use a document, like a utility bill, to prove your identity. Some good resources are voteriders.org & https://tracker.votingrightslab.org/issues/id-requirements, which explain state ID rules & help people get an ID who need one.

There are some ways to work around not having an ID, & not every state requires an ID to vote. If you have an ID & proof of residence & are voting in person, bring those items with you. Even in states that don’t typically require an ID to vote, if your address in the system has changed or there’s another issue, the system may prompt poll workers to ask for ID or residency verification, so you can vote. If you don’t have photo ID, try to bring another document, like a utility bill, that has your legal name & correct address.

Transportation: Often, the best option is to reach out to the voter protection hotlines, who have local resources. Uber & Lyft have offered free or reduced cost rides to & from the polls in the past, but check with them to see if they will do it during an upcoming election. Another website that helps provide transportation to people who want to vote in person is: https://rideshare2vote.com.

Push Polling: Push polling means you’ve been given information that is untrue but is intended to keep people from voting. One type of push polling is when you’re contacted & told your vote was automatically counted or that if you voted in a primary or are registered with a certain political party, you don’t need to vote again. If this happens, the person or automated voice is not telling the truth--you need to vote in every election for your vote to count. Contact your voter protection hotlines if this happens to you. Even if you voted for someone in a primary or recent election, & the person you voted for advanced to a general election or runoff, you must vote every time for your ballot to count. Push polling happened in a 2018 Mississippi Senate race, where voters received robocalls telling them that since they had voted for a candidate in a primary, they didn’t need to vote in the runoff. Another kind of push polling is voters being asked if they would be more or less likely to vote for a candidate if they knew that the candidate had some recent scandal. Past “polls” like this have given false information & are meant to keep people from voting. If you get calls from someone who claims to be doing a poll, you have the right to ask who they represent & what their source of information is. A legitimate place will tell you, & you can find out whether what they told you is true online or by asking your board of elections or voter protection hotline. If anyone tells you that being a member of a political party or voting in an earlier election means you don’t need to vote, that’s untrue. Even with a runoff, you must vote in that race—your vote does not carry over & count otherwise. Make sure you vote each time & tell family & friends how to avoid losing their right to vote because of push polling.

Provisional Ballots: These are issued as a last resort for many reasons, but they’re typically given to people without a valid photo ID in states that require it; where there are supposed signature mismatches; or if you insist on voting at a location that is not your precinct, so you’re out of district; or if you were removed from the voting list, which is also called the voter rolls by many states. If you vote provisionally, you usually have to fix something for your vote to count, like providing a photo ID, & you may only have a few days to do that. Call your voter protection hotline if you’re given a provisional ballot to try to see how to make sure it will count. If a poll worker says you can’t use a standard ballot, you should ask to vote provisionally, but immediately notify your hotline, because they’ll try to help you make sure your ballot is counted.

We've can make sure our community can register & vote by having a voting plan & knowing what we need to access the polls & have our voices count. The disability community faces barriers that can suppress our voices, but information is the best weapon against voter suppression. Thank you for being a voter & taking the steps to make sure your voice is heard.

Easy Ways to Register to Vote & get Voting Help

In many states, you can register to vote without leaving your home, by visiting a website or using an app for your phone/tablet. Here are some resources to make registration & voting as easy as possible:

TurboVote: This is an application that helps you register to vote, get an absentee ballot/mail-in ballot if needed, reminds you when upcoming elections are, & shows you what your ballot will look like before you vote. Visit: https://turbovote.org/?ref=producthunt
Voter Participation Center: This website helps you register to vote online, check your make sure you're registered, & see if you can restore your voting rights after being convicted of a felony.
The Democratic Party: This website lets you to register to vote, check your registration status, apply to vote by mail, & learn more about voting in your state.You can also call their hotline if you run into issues when you're trying to vote, so program this number into your phone: 833-336-8683, or text VOTE (or for Spanish, VOTO) to 70888.

Even if you've already registered to vote in the past, it's important to check your voter registration with your state's Secretary of State or county board of elections. Some states purge (remove) people from the voter rolls at times, so double-check that you're listed as active and registered at least 45-90 days before each election.

Making A Voting Plan & Why It's Important

Some people, even political leaders, will do many things to make it hard to vote--sometimes, a law will be passed that limits who can vote, or people can only vote if they have a certain ID. The most important thing is to always have a voting plan, & vote in every election, no matter how small seems. Every vote matters--control of Virginia's entire state government came down to ONE vote after the 2017 elections, and it was resolved by drawing out of a hat. If your vote wasn't so important, politicians wouldn't be working so hard to take it away! To make sure you get to exercise your right to vote, it's important to make a voting plan.

What to Put in your Voting Plan

Put your state & national voter assistance hotlines in your phone before you vote, in case you have any problems when you try to vote. Call them immediately if you have any difficulties or questions. Your state hotlines can be found here. Your national hotline is 833-336-8683, in English & Spanish. You can also text VOTE or VOTO to 70888 for help. It's best to call the state hotline first, if you have one.
Make sure you’re registered to vote. If not, register (or re-register if you were removed from your state’s active voting list). Do not assume you are on your state's voting rolls (list) because you registered at another time--always check your registration status, ideally 2-3 weeks before election season begins. You can put a reminder in your calendar to check your registration status when the time gets close, & many states offer same-day registration, so you can register & vote during early voting or on Election Day.
How do you plan to vote? Do you want to vote early, absentee by mail, in person, or electronically (in some states), or on election day, & what will you need to have ready (ID, etc.) to vote & have your ballot counted?
Do you have to have a certain ID to vote in your state? If you aren't sure, call your voter hotlines or visit www.IWillVote.com to check if you need an ID, & if so, what kind of ID is accepted in your state.
If you don't have an ID or can't afford one, how can you get one? Check out your DMV/driver’s license office for programs to help you get a free ID for voting, or try www.VoteRiders.Org, your hotlines, or www.IWillVote.com.
If you can't get an ID & need one to vote, do you qualify for any exceptions to the rule? Many states will allow you to prove your ID in other ways or get an exception if you can't provide an ID because of religious reasons, undue hardship, not having the money, or disability. Check with your local or state election officials to see if there's a process to apply for an exception or use another document to prove your identity.
If voting in person, where is your polling location & the hours/days it’s open? Don't assume it's always the same place--it may change at any time, so make sure you check before you go to vote. The early voting location is often different from the one you'd go to on Election Day, so make sure you're going to the right place by calling your hotlines & checking IWillVote's page.
Are there any arrangements you need to make to vote (like transportation, a disability accommodation).? If yes, what it your plan? For transportation help, call your hotline. Uber/Lyft usually offer free or reduced cost trips to & from a polling place, & you can also try https://rideshare2vote.com/, or organizations that help disabled people get to their polling location, like https://ridestovote.com/ , which recruits volunteers & also helps pair them with someone who needs a ride.

If you’re in lines when a polling place closes, you’re allowed to vote, so STAY IN LINE! Every location has hours they’re open to let people vote. They must be open for the entire time it says it will be, & if you’re in line to vote when the polls close, poll workers are legally required to let you vote. If the polls close at 7 pm, & you’re waiting in line by or before 7, you cannot be turned away or told it's too late to vote. If the polls open late, they must also stay open later. Thank you for being a voter! Your vote matters!

Links & Tools for Voters

A Guide to Each State's Election Rules & Laws:
https://usafacts.org/articles/how-do-voting-laws-differ-by-state/
Every State's Election Dates & Deadlines: https://www.usvotefoundation.org/vote/state-elections/state-election-dates-deadlines
How to Vote if You or Your Child Is in the Hospital: Visit www.patientvoting.com & know that many states will let you vote from the hospital, sometimes by applying for an emergency absentee ballot as much as a few weeks ahead of Election Day.
Find Your Local Elected Officials: This page is helpful in case you need to communicate about a ballot application, absentee/mail-in ballot, or to get important information to vote, especially if you vote early or absentee. Note: early voting is NOT the same thing as absentee voting. Although they can both happen before Election Day, some states, like Mississippi, don't have early voting, so the only people who can vote before Election Day are people who applied for & are eligible for an absentee ballot, which can be in person, by mail, or even digitally in a few states, like Virginia.
Vote Pro-Choice Voting Guide: https://www.voteprochoice.us/voter-guide
How Old You Have to Be to Register, &/or Vote: You can register or pre-register to vote in some states before you turn 18, and you may be able to vote in a primary if you will be 18 by the time the general election is help. For info about your state, visit: https://www.usa.gov/voter-registration-age-requirements
Contact Info for All of Your Elected Officials (Federal & State): https://secure.everyaction.com/p/VRl-GNlm_0mCSWaMc4d6_w2
Track Your State's Legislative Action & Contact State Elected Officials: https://pluralpolicy.com/find-your-legislator/
How to Make Sure Your Absentee/Mail-In Ballot & Envelope Gets Accepted: This website lets you pick your state and will walk you through each state's rules about how to fill out an application for an absentee ballot, as well as what you will need to do on your absentee ballot's certification envelope (which is usually returned by the postal service but may require USPS Express Mail or Fed Ex if it's not going to arrive in time otherwise. Absentee ballots and absentee voting can also be called "voting by mail," "mail-in ballots," "early voting," or "digital voting" in certain states. They all mean the same thing--that you aren't planning to vote in person on Election Day, but have decided to vote early or in a different way, like by mail.
Help Getting IDs Generally: You can contact info@voteriders.org , go to the Vote Riders website, or call 844-338-8743. States also usually offer a free voting ID that you can get at your local DMV/drivers license office, but you may need to bring certain documents with you or plan it out in advance. Call your voter assistance hotlines if you need help with this--they will walk you through how to get an ID your state accepts for voting.
If You're Homeless/Houseless & Need Help Registering or Voting: Our blog covers that issue here, and the short answer is that YES, you can vote, even if you're homeless. Information about how to do register & vote if you're homeless is here.

Voting if You've Been Convicted of a Felony

There are many resources to help people vote when someone has been convicted of a felony. Your state hotlines should be able to tell you the specific rules, & we cover this on our state info page (scroll past the hotlines & election offices to state voting information), but another resources you can use to see if you can vote when you have a felony conviction is: https://campaignlegal.org/restoreyourvote. In many states, the rule is that once you've completed the sentence you were given (which may include probation or parole), your can vote. If you have additional questions, ask about how to restore voting rights. If you're wondering about whether you can vote after having been convicted of a felony, check out this page.

Voting after a Felony Conviction: Each State Rule Is:

In Maine, Vermont, and Washington, D.C., you can vote even if you are incarcerated.
States that automatically restore the right to vote for formerly-incarcerated people once individuals are released are: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, & Washington (the state). You do not need to petition to have your voting rights restored once you are released, but you will probably need to register to vote or re-register after you're incarcerated.
You can vote once you've completed every part of your sentence, & the states that automatically restore the right to vote once a person with a felony conviction completed their full sentence: Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South DakotaTexas, West Virginia, & Wisconsin. Your right to vote should automatically be restored once you have completed your entire sentence, which includes probation, parole, any fines or fees owed, and incarceration. If you are no longer incarcerated but are still on parole, were never incarcerated but are on probation for a felony, or if you haven't paid all of the fines/fees the judge/jury decided that you owe, AND you were convicted of a felony, you can't vote.
Some states may require you to petition to have your right to vote restored, or they will restore your right to vote IF you have completed your sentence, but, unlike in part (C.), they may have additional requirements in order for your to vote. These requirements can include not being allowed to vote if you were convicted of a certain type of felony, having a post-sentencing waiting period, &/or may mean that you have to petition to have your rights restored. States with the strictest rules about restoring the right to vote after a felony conviction are: Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Virginia, & Wyoming. Make sure you call your state voter protection hotlines, visit the websites mentioned above, or speak with your election authorities (listed on the voting info page).

In most states, people who were convicted of a felony and incarcerated can vote at some point. It may require completion of a sentence &/or incarceration, but you can usually have your voting rights restored, often automatically.

What is Push Polling & Why Is It a Problem?

Push polling is a form of voter intimidation and can cause people to become disenfranchised and lose their right to voter or have their ballots counted. Here's more information, so you can protect yourself against this very real threat to free and fair elections. There are two types of push polling. One is where you are contacted and told that because you voted for a certain candidate in a primary, or the election is a runoff, or you've registered with a certain political party, that you don't need to vote. This is false, and if anyone tells you this, they are trying to make sure your vote doesn't get cast or counted in an upcoming election. The second time has to do with someone who says they represent a polling outlet and how they use misinformation to try to discourage voter turnout. Check out our push polling page to make sure you know your rights and are heard in every election!

What Kind of Ballot You'll Get:

Can You Get Paper?

According to Verified Voter and Lifewire, most states will let you request and vote with a paper ballot. In fact, many states use only paper ballots. The Secure Elections Commission has stated that paper ballots are the safest to use because they cannot be easily hacked or altered. In some states, like Texas, the type of ballot you can get is decided by your precinct. Be sure to call your local board of elections at least 46 days before an election to see what options are available for you. If your precinct does have paper, you have the right to vote that way, even if election officials try to encourage touchscreen voting, or the polling location looks like it only has digital ballot stations. Here's some information about what to expect by state:

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Paper Ballots Only: Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.), Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia,* Washington (the state).
Touchscreen Only: Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey, South Carolina.
Paper & Electronic: (may depend on precinct): Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia,* Wisconsin, Wyoming. https://www.lifewire.com/which-states-in-united-states-use-electronic-voting-4174835

* In both Virginia & West Virginia, some voters, usually from the military, overseas, &/or disabled communities, may be able to vote using their phone or computer. In those cases, the ballots are encrypted, & this is considered digital voting, but it is not common.

If you have a choice & are able to decide on your own which type of ballot you'll get, consider:

1.) Which is easier for you to use & navigate: paper or a touch screen/digital device?

2.) If you're using paper, will you be able to make sure your ballot is clearly marked & that you filled in the whole bubble, or is it hard on your hands/is there a risk of making a mistake or filling in outside the lines in a way that might affect how your ballot is tallied?

3.) If you're using a touchscreen/digital device, is it accessible for you? Do they have audio that will play to allow deaf/hard of hearing people to vote (voting location should offer this option in least one voting booth)? Are you comfortable with the security & integrity of voting digitally?

Concerns about Touchscreens: some people are afraid to use a touchscreen to cast their ballots at an in-person polling location. However, the touchscreen machines are not necessarily dependent on internet access/connected to the internet, and if they are, they're usually a private IP address that isn't easy to interfere with. If you use a touchscreen, you have the right to see or hear the choices you marked on your ballot when you've completed it, and if something is a mistake, you can go back and fix it. P. If you're using a touchscreen, many polling locations have a receipt that you can have printed out that will show you what candidates or ballot initiatives you voted for. This helps to ensure that there is security while voting is ongoing.

Concerns about Paper Ballots: If you vote in person polling location should always allow you to have another paper ballot if you have one that you made a mistake on but that you did not turn in as a complete ballot. Even if your ballot was mailed to you, you typically have the right to go to an early voting or Election Day site and vote in person, instead. You cannot do both, so make sure that if you're worried about having filled in the wrong circle for a ballot, you do not complete the ballot or turn it in to a poll worker, who may consider it a returned ballot. If you have a paper ballot that was sent to you by mail but you plan to vote in-person instead, make sure you destroy your old paper ballot, so that the ballot you finally complete is the one that is counted!

Voter Protection Hotlines

(no matter where you live):

If you ever have any trouble getting your ballot, finding out what kind of ID you may need, or need ANY help in making sure you or someone you know can vote, there are numbers you can call to get help. Please use the number for your individual state first if they have one because they can give you specific help. Some things you may be able to do are: check on the status of an absentee ballot request/ballot; find your polling location, get help getting an ID, ride, or accommodation for a disability; and get answers to questions to make sure you and other people can get to exercise the right to vote.

Here is a list:

DNC: 1-833-DEM-VOTE (1-833-336-8683) (covered 24/7) For Spanish Speakers: 866-2YO-VOTO https://www.facebook.com/groups/dncvopro/

Lawyer’s Committee For Civil Rights: For English: 866-OUR-VOTE; (866-687-8683; for Spanish: 888-Ve-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682); for AAPI: 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683)(Mandarin (普通話), Cantonese (廣東話), Korean (한국어), Vietnamese (tiếng Việt), Tagalog, Urdu (ارد), Hindi (हिंदी), and Bengali/Bangla (বাংলা), & Arabic: 1-844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287).

American Civil Liberties Union Voter Protection Hotline: 877-523-2792

NAACP Defense Fund Election Protection: 866-687-8683

THANK YOU FOR BEING A VOTER! YOUR VOiCE MATTERS!