News  Accessible voting: What you need to know

Many cities and towns in Massachusetts will have preliminary elections for local offices in the next few months. Preliminary elections narrow the field of candidates before final votes in November. 

Check the Secretary of the Commonwealth's upcoming elections page to see if your community has an election soon. Contact your local election office for questions about who's on your ballot, voter registration, and voting by mail.

Under state and federal law, all voting options must be accessible to people with disabilities. Accessibility requirements are outlined in 950 CMR 51.00: Polling place accessibility for elderly and handicapped voters.

Read on for steps you can take to prepare yourself or your municipality for a successful, accessible election day.

Municipal legal obligations for accessible voting

Under federal and state laws, all polling places and voting options must be accessible to people with disabilities. Requirements include:

• Site access: Polling places, including early voting locations, must be accessible to enter, vote, and leave. Paths must be unobstructed and wide enough to freely pass through.
• Parking: If a parking lot is available at the polling place, minimum accessible parking requirements apply.
• Entrance: At least one entrance to the building must be accessible. If the main entrance to the building is not accessible, there must be signs to the accessible entrance.
• Ramps: If the entrance has stairs, a ramp must be provided.
• Voting equipment: All polling locations must have at least one accessible voting machine. The AutoMARK Voter Assist Terminals can assist visually impaired voters. It displays the ballot in high-contrast, magnified text and uses audio cues. The AutoMARK can also read you your ballot before you print it out and submit it.

Visit 950 CMR 51.00: Polling place accessibility for elderly and handicapped voters for a full, detailed breakdown of legal requirements.

If your polling place does not meet the requirements, please contact the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Elections Division at 1-800-462-VOTE (8683) or elections@sec.state.ma.us.

Frequently asked questions from voters with disabilities

What are my rights as a voter with a disability?

If you are registered to vote in Massachusetts, you have the right to:

• 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 and features
• Have your service animal accompany you inside the polling place
• Vote privately and independently or with assistance, if needed
• Assistance from a person of choice, with some exceptions

Visit the Secretary’s Elections Division webpage for voters with disabilities for more information.

Can I vote by mail in Massachusetts?

In most elections in Massachusetts, voters can choose to vote by mail. If you are blind or have a vision impairment, have a mobility or dexterity disability, or have another disability that makes it difficult for you to mark a paper ballot, you can request an accessible vote by mail ballot. See accessible vote by mail ballot for information on applying for and using a mail-in ballot.

Can I ask someone to help me with voting?

Yes. You have the right to assistance from a person of your choice. This person can be a friend, family member, or poll worker (but not your boss, union agent, or someone who has authority over you at work).

A poll worker cannot force you to accept assistance. They also cannot try to convince or force you to vote for or against any candidate or ballot question.

If you choose to have a poll worker assist you, a minimum of two election workers must assist you. This helps ensure that your vote is submitted correctly and without coercion.

What is an AutoMARK (accessible) voting machine?

All polling locations in Massachusetts must have at least one AutoMARK machine available, with the option to sit at the machine, rather than stand. The AutoMARK displays the ballot in high-contrast, magnified text and uses audio cues. The AutoMARK can also read you your ballot before you print it out and submit it. This AutoMARK video has more information.

You do not need to be blind or have a visual impairment to use an AutoMARK machine. Any registered voter may use one.

What if I run into an accessibility issue at the polls?

If you have accessibility issues at your polling place, please talk to the warden at your polling place. If not resolved, please contact the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Elections Division at 1-800-462-VOTE (8683) or elections@sec.state.ma.us

The Disability Law Center (DLC) also collects information about polling place accessibility. You can let them know about your voting accessibility concerns by completing DLC's Polling Place Compliance Form or calling their Intake Line at 617-723-8455.