Connecticut Resources for Voters with Disabilities

In Connecticut, you have the right to the following as protected by federal law. Election staff must respect these rights:

• Accessible voter registration,
• Accessible polling places,
• Policies and procedures that do not discriminate against you based on your disability,
• Accessible, available, and operational voting systems, features,
• Your service animal to accompany you inside the polling place,
• The right to vote privately and independently or with assistance, if needed,
• Assistance from a person of choice, who can be a friend, family member, or poll worker,
• Election Staff trained to understand the rights above.

In Connecticut, you also have the right to:

• Independently mark and cast your ballot without interference, coercion, or intimidation,
• Vote in privacy and cast a secret ballot,
• Receive assistance when voting,
• Review a sample ballot before voting,
• Vote by absentee ballot if you have a disability that prevents you from voting in person on Election Day
  • Get permanent absentee voter status if you have a permanent disability
• File a complaint about voting accessibility or other violation.
• Participate in supervised absentee voting if you live in a nursing home, assisted living facility, or an institution that qualifies for it

You may request assistance from a poll worker or receive assistance from a person of your choice with the following exceptions, unless they are an immediate family member:

• your employer, an agent of your employer,
• an officer or agent of your union,
• a candidate on the ballot (unless the candidate is a member of your immediate family)

A poll worker can not coerce you into accepting assistance. The poll worker cannot seek to persuade or induce you to vote for or against:

• any candidate
• any ballot question

The Connecticut absentee ballot application is compatible with screen readers and has a checkbox for you to indicate that you need an accessible ballot emailed to you.

In addition to English, Connecticut also offers a Spanish Application for Absentee Ballot.

If it is within 6 days of an election, use the Emergency Application Absentee Ballot. Also available is a Spanish Version of the Emergency Absentee Ballot Application.

If you have a print disability, you can request an accessible absentee ballot to be emailed to you when filling out your absentee ballot application.
 

Federal law requires polling places to meet minimum compliance standards for individuals with special needs.

If you are unable to stand in line, you can:

• Request to be moved to the front of the line or refuse to be moved to the front of the line, 
• Request that a chair be provided or refuse to accept a chair,
• Request to have your place in line held and notified when it is your turn.

Curbside voting is available if you are temporarily incapacitated. After showing a valid form of ID, Registrars of Voters from both parties will bring you a ballot and a privacy sleeve. You must mark the ballot in front of them, but they must stand in a way that will not violate your right to a private vote.

An accessible ballot marking device is available at all polling places. This can be used to make choices audibly or by a touchscreen display. This allows for the following alternatives:

• Audio
• Tactile keys
• Customizable displays

You have the right to access a sample ballot and can preview and practice using accessible voting equipment by using the PDF file of the Inspire Marking System Manual.

How to use Connecticut's accessible ballot marking machines.

You can fill-out and submit a Complaint Form to the Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission. It should be mailed to:

State Elections Enforcement Commission
55 Farmington Ave
Hartford, CT 06105

You can alternatively fill out a Violation of Civil Rights Complaint Form and submit it to the US Department of Justice by one of the following methods:

• Online, through the form’s submission process - this is the fastest method.
   
• By fax at (202) 616-9881. You MUST include “ATTN: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Complaints" at the top of your fax submission for it to be processed correctly.
   
• By mailing your form to: 
       U.S. Department of Justice
       Office of the Inspector General
       Investigations Division
       ATTN: Civil Rights & Civil Liberties Complaints
       950 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
       Washington, DC 20530

 
For assistance with advocacy, protection of your voting rights, and other services, you may contact the office of Disability Rights Connecticut by phone at (860) 442-4220.

For additional assistance, The National Network of ADA Centers can provide local contact information for other organizations you may wish to contact, including your Regional ADA Center or ADA Knowledge Translation Center, or Federal Agencies and Resources.

Disability Rights Connecticut: Voting Rights Page

Contains additional helpful information, including additional forms in both English and Spanish. Disability Rights Connecticut also provides detailed self-advocacy PDF guides, including:

• Voter Rights
  • English
  • Spanish
     
• Voting at the Polls
  • English
  • Spanish
     
• Voting by Mail
  • English
  • Spanish

Helpful Quick Links

• US Vote Foundation's Voter Help Desk
• Department of Justice Civil Rights Violation Complaint Form
• Verified Voter Accessible Voting Machine Search
• Department of Justice Civil Rights Violation Complaint Form
• Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission Complaint Form
• Disability Rights Connecticut
• Voters with Disabilities Fact Sheet