Idaho Resources for Voters with Disabilities

U.S. Vote Foundation's Idaho Voters with Disabilities Guide provides valuable resources including information on accessible voting options, voter rights, and guidance on the voting process. This essential Idaho guide empowers individuals to exercise their right to vote in a private, independent, and accessible way.

What are my rights as a voter with a disability in Idaho?

In Idaho, you have the right to the following as protected by federal law. Election staff must be trained on and 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 your choice, who can be a friend, family member, or poll worker (but not your boss, union agent, or a candidate unless this person is your family member)

In Idaho, you also have the right to:  

  • Look at a sample ballot.
  • Vote privately and vote your way without someone telling you how to vote.
  • Ask for and get help at the polls from a poll worker or someone else you choose.
  • Vote at an accessible polling site.
  • Vote if you live in a group home or treatment facility.
  • Vote if you have a guardian


 

Federal law requires assistance in registering to vote from offices that provide public assistance or state-funded programs serving people with disabilities. Responsibilities include:

  • Providing voter registration forms
  • Assisting voters in completing the forms
  • Transmitting completed forms to the appropriate election official

All aspects of voter registration must be accessible. Under certain circumstances, in Idaho, a representative from the county elections office may be able to come to your home to complete the registration process.

What are the rules of assistance for disabled voters in Idaho?
  • You may request assistance from a poll worker or receive assistance from a person of your choice with the following exceptions:
    • your employer, an agent of your employer
    • an officer or agent of your union
       
  • A poll worker cannot force you to accept assistance.
How is the Idaho mail-in or absentee ballot process made accessible for voters with print disabilities?

If you need an alternative ballot, please contact your local town clerk. 

What accommodations are available for voters with disabilities at polling locations in Idaho?

https://www.usvotefoundation.org/election-officesFederal law requires polling places to meet minimum compliance standards for individuals with special needs. 

  • The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984 (VAEHA) requires accessible polling places in federal elections for elderly individuals and people with disabilities. Where no accessible location is available to serve as a polling place, voters must be provided an alternate means of voting in person on Election Day.
     
  • The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) requires at least one accessible voting system for persons with disabilities at each polling place in federal elections.  The accessible voting system must provide the same opportunity for access and participation, including privacy and independence, that other voters receive. 

If you want to check that your polling location meets these standards or find an alternative polling location, contact your local election official.

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

Also, in Idaho:

  • Headphones are available to listen to an audio ballot and make your vote selections on a touch screen, an accessibility controller, or by connecting to an individual's unique accessibility device
  • Most of the machines in Idaho do not have a Braille keypad but do have an accessibility controller which uses buttons and switches to navigate the machine
  • The majority of the buttons on these machines are identified by color, shape, Braille, and voice recording
  • The machines have an accessory input that should be compatible with an individual's unique accessibility device
  • A zoom feature is included to enlarge the ballot print
  • A contrast feature is included to make the ballot easier to read
  • You can review and change your selections on a voter assistance machine, and you may request a new ballot from a poll worker if you make a mistake
  • Poll workers are trained to assist voters with the voter assistance machines upon request
How can I prepare to use accessible voting equipment in Idaho prior to Election Day?

Audio and PDF guides may be available for the voting assistance machines utilized in Idaho:

  • A TouchWriter machine is used in Ada and Bonner counties
  • The eSlate machine is used in Bonneville, Franklin and Caribou counties
  • The ExpressVote machine is used in Bannock, Bear Lake, Blaine, Cassia, Fremont, Oneida, Payette, Power, Teton, and most other counties
  • Some other counties use the AutoMark voter assistance terminal

Please contact your county election official if you are unsure which machine your county uses.

Who do I contact if I have problems when voting in Idaho?

Please contact DisAbility Rights Idaho:

  • Call 1-866-262-3462 
  • Use the above number as a Voter Hotline during primary and general elections from 8am-9pm MT
  • Visit the website to apply for services

If you wish to file a complaint, please email [email protected] or call (208) 334-2852.

You can also 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 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.

Additional Resources
State-specific Resources Guide for Voters With Disabilities
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