Improving Accessibility for Voters with Disabilities
For the Helping Veterans and Iowans with Disabilities Vote Project which educated thousands of veterans and Iowans with disabilities about resources available to help them vote privately and independently.
In 2015, Iowa Secretary of State Paul D. Pate launched the Helping Veterans and Iowans with Disabilities Vote Project to ensure members of both communities knew about the resources available to help them vote privately and independently. New administrative rules were implemented, the Secretary of State’s website improved its accessibility and an outreach coordinator was hired. The Secretary of State’s Office also conducted training sessions and workshops across the state, distributed curbside voting signs to all 1,700 precinct locations, and utilized videos and social media to get the word out. Partially funded by a Help America Vote Act grant from the Department of Health and Human Services, the project educated thousands of veterans and Iowans with disabilities about resources available to assist them in casting a ballot.
