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Voting

Our Position

OPPOSE SB 9 (Hughes), which creates new requirements for individuals providing assistance to voters with disabilities, including potential criminal penalties. Such measures could have a chilling effect on the number of people willing to assist Texas voters with disabilities at the polls and increase barriers for voters with disabilities.

CTD supports legislation that protects the rights of all Texans with disabilities to participate fully in the voting process, including: accessible voting technologies at all polling locations, the elimination of architectural and communication barriers at polling locations, and protecting the rights of eligible voters to participate in elections.

The Latest

May 17: SB 9 likely dead this year after failing to be set for debate. Dallas Morning News.

May 15: This Texas bill that opponents say could lead to voter suppression has lost a key bipartisan provision. Texas Tribune

May 8: Read REV UP Texas' letter of opposition to SB 9

April 29: SB 9 referred to House Elections committee

April 15: SB 9 another desperate attempt at voter suppression in Texas. Houston Chronicle Editoral

April 15: The Senate passed SB 9, now moves to House

Partners

American Council of the Blind of Texas
REV UP! Texas (Register! Educate! Vote! Use your Power!)

Supporting organizations

Access Empowerment/ Parking Mobility
ADAPT of Texas
Autism Society of Texas
Coastal Bend Center for Independent Living
Collin County Democrats with Disabilities
Disability Rights Texas
Easterseals Serving Central Texas
Guardianship Reform and Supported Decision Making Workgroup
Imagine Art
Meals on Wheels Central Texas In Home Care
NAMI Texas
National Association of Social Workers-Texas
Paralyzed Veterans of America, Texas Chapter
REACH Resource Centers on Independent Living-Ft. Worth, Dallas, Denton, & Plano
San Antonio Independent Living Services (SAILS)
Texas Advocates
Texas Association of Goodwills
Texas Civil Rights Project
Texas Democrats with Disabilities
Texas Parent to Parent
The Arc of Texas

Background

CTD has worked to protect the voting rights of Texans with disabilities and promote voting within this community since our foundation in 1978. For example, for many years, we successfully opposed Voter ID bills in the Texas legislature, which would have restricted access to the voting process. In 2011, the legislature did pass a Voter ID bill, but one with a CTD amendment that allows a person with a disability to claim an exemption from the new requirements.

In 2017, we led efforts to pass legislation that would have granted voters with disabilities priority access at the polls, ensured access to ballots to people in nursing homes and assisted-living centers, and added screen-reader accessible sample ballots to websites. These either did not pass or were overturned.

In 2019, voter rights are once again the spotlight. We'll be working not only expand access, but to protect the rights of voters with disabilities, which seem to be challenged every session by misguided efforts to curb voter fraud. SB 9 (Hughes) is the latest example of such measures and would:

remove a person with a disability’s right to cast a private ballot, by allowing poll watchers to observe the voting process and check the voter’s ballot, if they have been assisted by a non-family member.
discourage individuals and groups to provide voters with disabilities rides to the polls, by requiring a form from anyone who gives at least 3 non-family members a ride.
discourage individuals to provide assistance to voters with disabilities, by requiring a new, invasive form from anyone who assists a voter with a disability. This new form would also require information on the voter’s disability, which violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
increase penalties for mistakes on forms, made by voters themselves or those who assist them, and could result in individuals being convicted of a felony offense.