All polling locations and early voting sites in Massachusetts are required to be accessible. Voting locations must provide access on a permanent or temporary basis on Election Day and throughout early voting. Voting assistance and absentee voting offer options that persons with disabilities may use to vote, but they are not considered substitutes for actual accessibility to the voting location. Accessible voting provides the same opportunity for access and participation to persons with disabilities as for other voters.
A voter can choose someone to assist in entering the polling location, checking in, entering the voting booth, preparing the ballot, exiting the booth, and checking out.
Voting via mail or absentee ballot at home is another option. Contact your local election official at least five days before an election to arrange for an electronically accessible mail ballot.
If you have a disability that prevents you from marking a paper ballot, please contact your local election official.
Both federal law and state requirements mandate that voting systems be equipped for voters with disabilities allowing such voters to have the same opportunity to vote privately and independently. It is required that every precinct must have at least one accessible voting machine available.
There is at least one accessible marking unit in every polling place and early voting location in Massachusetts. The AutoMARK Voter Assist Terminals are marking devices that use audio cue capacity for visually impaired voters. The AutoMark also has a feature that will greatly magnify the ballot or display the ballot high contrast for voters that have limited visual impairment. The AutoMark can also produce an oral report to the voter as the choices are selected prior to the voter printing the ballot.
The Elections Division of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is committed to making voting as accessible for all voters. Please let us know how we can improve accessibility by calling us at 800-462-VOTE (8683) (toll free) or 617-727-2828. For deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired please contact us at TTY: 1-800-720-3480. You may also e-mail us at [email protected]
For more information, you can utilize the American Association of People With Disabilities (AAPD) resource.
