The right to vote is not just an important piece of democracy, it is a symbol of a person's humanity. Denying someone the ability to vote displays that they are less than a human being, unworthy of being represented in a governing body.
I once thought that taking away a person's right to vote based on ability was a thing of the past. The Americans with Disabilities Act made it illegal to discriminate against people with disabilities, so shouldn't it be impossible for government institutions to deny them voting rights?
On June 18th, 2024, the Department of Justice found that the entire state of Alaska has made it next to impossible for people with disabilities to vote. An investigation into state voting facilities found that ramps do not meet the ground, making it challenging for individuals in wheelchairs to enter. Hallways are incredibly narrow, meaning that any person with a disability who enters the building cannot navigate it. Many of the voting facilities do not have handicapped parking spots either, which means that individuals who need space to exit with a wheelchair cannot do so on crowded election days. The paths up to many of the buildings are far too steep, making the trek up overwhelmingly difficult for anyone with movement impairments or a non-motorized wheelchair. The doors are difficult for able-bodied people to open and cannot be opened by an individual with crutches. There aren't any automatic doors for people in wheelchairs either. "Accessible" voting machines were found to be not properly set up and were completely inoperable.
People with disabilities who choose to vote from home rather than dealing with the lackluster government facility cannot do so. The election website is completely inaccessible, meaning that people with vision impairments or loss of some motor function find it impossible to navigate.
A lack of accessibility in a single voting facility is a massive problem. A denial of voting rights in an entire state is unprecedented. No American should have their voting rights taken away over something they cannot control, such as disability status. People with disabilities are human beings, and their human right to vote should be affirmed at all costs.
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