Accessible Voting

Voting locations must be made accessible for all people, regardless of ability. Under State and Federal law, all voters must be given the same opportunity for access and participation in the voting process.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects people with disabilities from receiving unequal treatment within state and local government services, programs, and activities. ADA, Title II, this law protects your right to vote by making sure that voters with disabilities have access to:
 

• Accessible parking
• An accessible route to the entrance
• An accessible entrance
• An accessible route to the voting area
• Voting procedures
• Voting machines

The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) protects the right of people with disabilities to vote by making sure that:
 

• Voting locations are easy to get to and to use
• People who are blind or have problems seeing get the help they need
• Voting is private and personal
• Each polling location has an accessible voting machine

Learn more about the voting locations in Calaveras County

Every vote center is required to have three ADA-compliant voting machines. These machines include features like audio ballots, large print/zoom features, and height and tilt adjustments on the screens. Please let the poll workers know if you have questions or need assistance using the voting machine.

Any Calaveras County voter can use a touchscreen electronic voting device. This is an electronic recording device designed for people who cannot personally mark a ballot due to physical impairments or language barriers.

To mark your ballot using the touchscreen voting device:

1. Insert the voting card given to you by the election officials into the voting machine. A voting technician is at the precinct to assist you if requested.   
2. Review the instructions (audio options are available), hit Next to proceed to the ballot.  
3. Make your candidate selections. Select candidates by touching their names, touch again to deselect. To vote for a write-in candidate, touch the Write-In line - a keyboard will appear. Type in the name of the candidate and touch the Record Write-In button to continue.  
4. Use the Next and Back buttons to navigate if your ballot is more than one page long.  
5. Once you reach the last page of your ballot, a review screen automatically appears. This screen will list only the candidates and choices that you have selected to vote for.   
6. To make changes, touch the screen for the desired contest and the page for that contest will automatically appear.   
7. When you've reviewed your choices, touch the button to Review a Paper Record of your Ballot.
8. Your selections will be recorded on the printer. At this point you can choose to either makes changes or cast your ballot.  
9. When you are ready, make the selection to Cast Ballot. Your votes will be recorded and the voting card will be returned to you. Please return the voting card to the precinct officer and they will give you an "I Voted" sticker.

Ballot Marking Device: Verity from Hart InterCivic - Accessibility Settings and Demo for Voting by National Federation of the Blind YouTube Video here

If you need assistance, you may bring up to two people with you to help you vote, or you may ask for assistance from the election officials. You may ask anyone to help you vote, except for the following people:
 

• Your employer
• An agent of your employer
• An agent of your union

You may also get help in marking your ballot from trained election officials. Whomever helps you vote cannot tell you how to mark your ballot or provide information to others about how you voted.

Instructions for marking and casting your ballot are posted in each voting location. If you have any questions about how to mark or cast your ballot, or if you have incorrectly marked a ballot, contact an election official for instructions.

Each vote center location offers curbside voting. Curbside voting allows you to park as close as possible to the voting area. Trained elections officials will bring you a roster to sign, a ballot, and any other necessary voting materials. You may sit in your car and vote, or you may vote at the door of the building.

If you are unable to sign your own name and have no other legal mark, make an "X," if possible, on the signature line.
 

If you are unable to make an "X," you must indicate in some manner to the person assisting you that you want to sign your name. The person helping you must sign the election form and attest that you indicated that you want to sign the election form.

The Secretary of State’s Office provides multiple alternative versions of the State Voter Information Guide. Three different audio options are available; cassette and compact disc formats as well as a downloadable MP3 version. A large print guide is also available. These alternative formats are available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese.

If you or someone you know is interested in receiving copies of either the cassette, compact disc, or large-print version of the Voter Information Guide, free of charge, please call the Secretary of State’s Elections Division at (916) 657-2166 or visit their website at:

•  http://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/en/alt-versions/

For a downloadable audio version of the Voter Information Guide, please visit:

• http://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/en/audio/​

Voting by mail, or absentee voting, gives all registered voters the opportunity to vote without having to travel to a voting location. You may also request a Remote Accessible Ballot using our Remote Accessible Vote by Mail System which allows voters in the military, overseas voters, and voters with disabilities to download and mark their ballots at home. This system works with document reader software to assist you in marking your ballot. A printer is required to use this system.
 

• Learn more about the vote-by-mail process in Calaveras County