Join the nation today as we participate in National Voter Registration Day. This is celebrated on the fourth Tuesday of every September and started in 2012 as a holiday focused on the importance of registering to vote. Center for Disability Rights (CDR) joins with hundreds of civil and human rights organizations around the country to celebrate this day and get out the information needed for the community.

People with disabilities obtained the right to vote with the historic passage of The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). There remains a great deal of work on enforcing this right. CDR is committed to making sure all people with disabilities are afforded their right to register to vote. We know that there are still states who do not provide registration forms that are in accordance with Title II of the ADA as they are not presented “in the format that is best for the person”.

Many people who are Blind or have low vision continue to have a hard time or cannot obtain a registration form in Braille or large print. They have to rely on others to complete this form which is a violation of the ADA and Help America Vote Act of 2002. We implore State’s to implement the laws and provide registration forms that are accessible to all in accordance with the ADA and other Voting Rights laws.

Today CDR encourages all eligible voters to verify that you are registered to vote in your state and if you are not than register to vote today! Take 30 Seconds to register to vote or check your registration status – go to: https://nationalvoterregistrationday.org/

From The National Voter Registration Day website:

National Voter Registration Day is a nonpartisan civic holiday celebrating our democracy. First observed in 2012, it has quickly gained momentum ever since. Nearly 3 million voters have registered to vote on the holiday to date. 

Celebrated on the fourth Tuesday of September, National Voter Registration Day will next take place on September 22, 2020. The holiday has been endorsed by the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED), the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), and the National Association of Election Officials (The Election Center).

What it involves:

• A coordinated voter registration effort by organizations and volunteers across the country: in communities, workplaces, libraries, college campuses, and more.

• Social media outreach and in-platform activations by digital partners to help voters register to vote online and find registration drives nearby.

• The saturation of national and local media to raise awareness of voter registration opportunities and encourage civic participation.

• Hundreds of thousands of voters registering to vote online and offline in a single day.

CDR works for national, state, and local systemic change to advance the rights of people with disabilities by supporting direct action, coalition building, community organizing, policy analysis, litigation, training for advocates, and community education.
CDR advocates for the full integration, independence, and civil rights of people with disabilities. The right to vote is a fundamental right in this country and one that we will protect so that all people with disabilities can participate in this process from beginning (registering) to end (casting the vote).

Follow: @NatlVoterRegDay on Twitter using #VoteReady #NationalVoterRegistrationDay

For more information on this work contact Dara Baldwin, Director of National Policy at dara.baldwin@ncdr.us