For many blind and low vision voters the right to cast a private and independent ballot remains out of reach despite decades of legal protections. While technology has improved, the implementation remains imbalanced, resulting in blind and low vision voters having to give up their privacy, independence, or both.
Texas voter, Neva Fairchild is one example. She started voting back in the mid-1970s when manual voting machines were used. “After reading my ballot with a magnifying glass, I had to press the lever with my hands,” Neva explains. “Today I am totally blind and use the accessible voting machine with speech output and a headset.” Yet, despite this advancement via technology, Neva continues to confront challenges.
Although she has had access to accessible machines, she has faced struggles with poll workers. Since poll workers don’t receive adequate training, she experiences long delays and plenty of frustration. “I felt marginalized, like my vote didn’t count,” Neva says. “I felt like I was a burden because they couldn’t set up the machine properly. I felt like a second-class citizen because they were not ready for me even though there are voting laws that protect me.” To minimize her stress, Neva now votes during the early election cycle to prevent similar experiences.
What do laws dictate?
There are federal and state laws that protect blind and low vision voters like Neva. For example, the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) was signed into law in 2002 providing all American voters, including those who are blind or low vision, with the opportunity to vote both privately and independently. All voting jurisdictions must therefore provide at least one accessible voting machine per polling place. Further, all voting machines purchased with federal funds provided under HAVA on or after January 1, 2007 must be accessible.
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act also require that voters with disabilities be provided an opportunity to exercise their right to vote that is equal to the opportunity provided voters without disabilities. Plus, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 enables voters with disabilities to receive assistance from a person of their choice, subject to statutory limitations. Although these laws have passed, blind and low vision voters still express problems voting.
According to the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), a May 2025 study was conducted on accessible voting, providing a comparison of the 2008, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2024 elections. The results revealed major problems including poll workers experiencing difficulty activating or setting up accessible machines. This percentage rose to 29.6% in 2024, up from 24% in 2020, with 86.7% of blind voters who used accessible machines in 2024 reporting they were up and running upon arrival. Essentially, roughly 1 in 7 encountered a machine that wasn’t ready.
Why do these problems persist?
1. Insufficient poll worker training. According to research conducted by the election line, a project of The Pew Center, poll workers receive uneven job training, low pay, long hours and increasingly complex job requirements. About two million Americans serve as poll workers, yet most receive only a few hours of specialized instruction. Therefore, they often arrive on Election Day only to find polling places understaffed due to personnel shortages.
2. Inconsistent maintenance of accessible voting equipment. Accessible voting machines, like any other equipment, need to be kept updated and in good working condition. Unfortunately, The Brennan Center for Justice reports s lack of funding, strict certification processes, logistical problems and vendor monopolies result in outdated equipment.
3. Lack of accountability when machines fail. Vendors are not required to report so problems can go uncorrected for a long period of time. There is no legal obligation to report failures to a government official, and there is no government agency investigating these failures or compelling voting machine manufacturers to fix them. There is no central database to track these issues.
4. Differences in election administration from county to county. There is no federal election administration system, so the federal government provides support through the Election Assistance Commission helping with grants and technical assistance. Elections can vary from state to state, city to city, and county to county. There is no single national standard enforcing consistency.
5. Funding challenges for accessible elections. A main reason why this is a continuing problem is that election administration funding is at the state and local level with funding varying from location to location. Further, using and maintaining accessible voting machines can be expensive and compete with other election responsibilities.
Additionally, federal funding can be insufficient and inconsistent. Monies can be distributed in a one-time allotment or through a state’s matching dollars, thereby challenging any long term commitment to providing accessible voting.
Why is it important to vote privately?
Despite all these challenges, the ability for a blind or low vision voter to cast their ballot privately matters since it creates voter confidence and freedom from coercion. When accessible voting machines became available in Texas, Neva was excited because she could finally vote privately. In the past, she had sought sighted assistance due to decreasing vision loss. “I hated having someone read my ballot to me and know how I was voting,” she recalls. “I don’t like to share this kind of sensitive information.
Reflecting on these negative accessible voting experiences, one might assume blind and low vision voters will always have problems casting votes. Although advancements are occurring they are mostly through local efforts rather than on a national level. Here are a few examples of election improvements.
1. Improved training materials. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission along with GBH’s National Center for Accessible Media created on-demand video trainings covering the whole voting process.
2. Public awareness resources. The NFB continues to run accessible voting machine demonstrations, provide instructional videos and a training curriculum. This service is for both blind and low vision voters as well as poll workers. NFB has found that there is a disconnect between blind voters knowing how to use an accessible voting machine and poll workers knowing how to assist them. The assumption is that blind or low vision voters will automatically know how to use voting machines correctly.
3. Dedicated poll worker training for blind and low vision voters. California has implemented this type of training through its 2026 poll worker training standards listed under section 2, providing information on how to assist blind and low vision voters.
4. Designated disability staff. Some precincts have poll workers specifically available to assist disabled voters. In the City of New York, disability clerks are available to assist disabled voters upon request.
5. Using smartphone technology. Some states, like Georgia, have allowed blind and low vision voters to use their smartphones to read their paper ballot before casting it, but the voter must delete all photos afterward. This Accommodation is only available when reading the ballot, rather than using it to vote.
What should blind and low vision voters expect on Election Day?
As the nation gears up for the 2026 U.S. midterm general election in November, blind voters should expect the following to be in place:
1. An accessible voting machine: At the polling location, a blind or low vision voter can request this type of voting machine. These machines offer both touch screen and audio ballots. The audio ballot can be accessed by connecting a special keypad and headset to the machine. The keypad features large tactile buttons in different shapes, sizes and colors. Voters can adjust the speed and volume of the speech and make their personal selections, and people with low vision can use the touch screen ballot and adjust the print size and contrast accordingly.
2. Sighted assistance: Voters who choose to vote in person can receive sighted guide assistance to walk to the accessible voting machine, as well as help reading their registration form. This assistance can be provided by a poll worker or a friend or family member.
3. Voting by mail, also called absentee voting: Blind and low vision voters can cast their ballot at home, thereby reducing challenges with transportation to the polls, accessible voting machine problems, standing in long lines and dealing with uninformed poll workers.
Marsha Bukala, who is low vision and lives in Florida, votes by using this method. However, instead of marking a paper ballot sent to her via mail, she receives an email with a link to vote. This type of vote by mail, electronic, is designed for voters with disabilities so that they can mark their ballots accessibly using computer technology. Yet, the process is not totally accessible to a person who is blind or low vision. “I call it semi-accessible voting because you have to use a printer to vote this way,” she explained. Plus, this method requires blind and low vision voters to be familiar with assistive technology and computer use.
What you should do in advance
Due to the challenges with accessible voting, it is advisable for blind and low vision voters to know how to advocate for themselves. Preparing in advance can make the experience easier. However, it is not the sole responsibility of the voter to handle accessibility. Election officials are responsible for an accessible voting process.
1. Check registration status before Election Day: Some locations have purged their voting rolls, so call or check online to be sure you are still registered to vote.
2. Learn how to use an accessible voting machine: If you decide to go in person, know the basic functions and don’t totally depend on poll workers to assist you.
3. Vote early: if possible, to avoid voting machine hiccups, long lines and stressed or unprepared poll workers.
4. If voting by mail, review your state election information: Voting by mail options have been shifting lately, so be aware of any changes to the rules and regulations.
5. If accessibility and accommodations are denied, know how to advocate for your right to vote: Ask for other alternative ways to vote that are accessible, speak to the precinct supervisor and document the problem including the precinct location, date and jurisdiction. You can also file a formal complaint with the Secretary of State, Election Board or the U.S. Department of Justice.
Regardless of the challenges of accessible voting, Neva will continue to vote. “I have an obligation to vote as a disabled person because our political officials represent me like everyone else,” she said. Accessible voting isn’t special accommodation but a civil right.
About the Author: Empish J. Thomas is a fellow with The Loreen Arbus Accessibility is Fundamental Program, a fellowship created with Women’s eNews to train women with disabilities as professional journalists so that they may write, research and report on the most crucial issues impacting the disabilities community.
