The REV UP Campaign, launched by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) in 2016, is a nonpartisan initiative that coordinates with national, state, and local disability organizations to increase the political power of the disability community while also engaging candidates and the media on disability issues. The Campaign focuses on voter registration, education, access, and engagement. REV UP stands for Register! Educate! Vote! Use your Power!
People with disabilities accounted for over 35 million eligible voters in 2016 (that number jumps to over 62 million eligible voters when you count family members in the same household) according to Rutgers University. The disability community has incredible potential to demonstrate that the power of the disability vote has the potential to ensure that all candidates and elected officials address issues that are important to people with disabilities by increasing the political participation of people with disabilities. Rutgers University also found that, in 2012, 30% of people with disabilities reported difficulty in voting compared to 8% of people without disabilities.
This Election Accessibility Toolkit is meant as a tool to assist disability advocacy organizations and individual advocates when working with voters and election officials. It also includes information on troubleshooting problems encountered on Election Day, reporting barriers, and additional resources.
Report Regarding the Accessibility of 2016 Election Polling Places
The REV UP Campaign Election Accessibility Subcommittee authored a White Paper to report on the overall accessibility of the 2016 election. This report draws on data gathered from other studies about the barriers (physical and otherwise) that people with disabilities encountered while pursuing their civil right to vote. This document is intended to help advocates and election officials consider the barriers that may exist within their local electoral system. The white paper concludes with recommendations to the Federal Government and to States to improve accessibility in subsequent elections.
Download the Report Regarding the Accessibility of 2016 Election Polling Places