Disability is Political

Voting is meant to be a right, not a hurdle. Yet, as a disabled woman of color, I’ve found that this essential act of civic participation often requires navigating numerous barriers. My experiences over the past 20 years reveal a journey full of obstacles—ones that become more challenging with every election cycle.

I’ll never forget the last election I voted in before leaving Florida. I had the option to vote curbside, which made the process more accessible for me. But that accessibility changed drastically after I moved to Georgia. My new polling place was in a church, a venue that isn’t required to meet ADA standards. The only accessible entrance was at the back of the building, and my motorized wheelchair barely fit on the narrow sidewalk leading to it. Inside, I encountered more barriers—physical obstacles that made it clear disabled voters weren’t a priority.

Years later, I shared this experience in an interview that highlighted barriers disabled voters face. When I posted the interview on social media, I emphasized how demeaning it felt as a disabled woman of color to have to enter through a back door just to vote. Yet, rather than recognizing the significance of what I shared, a white disabled individual commented, “At least you got to vote.” It was a stark reminder that even within the disability community, our experiences aren’t always seen or validated.

Since then, my polling place has changed, and the voting experience has improved slightly. But accessibility remains inconsistent. At one location, there were two buildings—one far less accessible than the other, leaving it up to chance whether I’d have a truly accessible voting experience.

Then, the pandemic hit. For many of us—especially disabled and immunocompromised people—voting by mail became the only safe option. During that time, obtaining a mail-in ballot wasn’t as difficult as it is now. Yet, even then, barriers persisted. Ensuring my signature matched the one on my voter registration was a struggle, and I worried that this arbitrary requirement would invalidate my ballot.

After the 2020 election, new policies emerged that imposed even more barriers on disabled voters—particularly Black and brown disabled voters. This year, disabled voters in Georgia face a tedious process just to vote by mail.

We’re required to fill out an online application, print it, sign it, scan it along with a copy of our ID, and upload it—all assuming we have access to the necessary technology and equipment. After that, there’s an additional wait to have our application approved. These steps may seem trivial to some, but they amount to significant barriers for disabled people who often lack access to these resources.

Each election cycle, the barriers increase, making voting feel less like a right and more like a privilege granted conditionally to those who can jump through each new hoop. Yet, just like other social justice issues, disabled people—and especially disabled people of color—are often left out of the conversation.

Our voices and our votes matter. But until the system acknowledges and addresses these barriers, we’ll continue to face an uphill battle in exercising a basic right that many take for granted.