Monday, September 9, 2024
The national disability rights community is organizing the seventh annual Disability Voting Rights Week for September 9–13, 2024, to protect the rights of people with disabilities to participate fully in our democracy and to highlight the ongoing work to support voters with disabilities throughout the voting process.
Voting is a fundamental right for all citizens, and having a disability must never be a barrier to participating in our democracy or casting a ballot privately and independently. On Tuesday, September 10, 2024, the Yolo County Board of Supervisors is set to proclaim September 9-13, 2024, as Disability Voting Rights Week.
“We are proud Yolo County is taking part in the American Association of People with Disabilities’ national, nonpartisan initiative,” said Jesse Salinas, Yolo County Assessor/Clerk-Recorder/Registrar of Voters.
Disability Voting Rights Week brings attention to registering and educating voters about aspects of the voting process that affect people with disabilities. The 2021 American Community Survey estimates almost 20,000 voting-age residents with disabilities live in Yolo County, a number based on self-reporting. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that most Americans at some point in their lives will either have a disability or know someone who has one.
Yolo County Elections has consistently improved voting accessibility by establishing the Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee (VAAC) in 2021, adopting the Voter’s Choice Act in 2022, and creating an Election Administration Plan that prioritizes outreach, education, and an accessible voting experience for voters with disabilities.
The Yolo County VAAC assists and advises the Elections Office on voting accessibly matters and is a forum for voicing concerns and suggesting remedies and correcting opportunities for collaboration and outreach. The committee also discusses specific information about the laws and procedures related to voting that directly impact people with disabilities. To learn more about or get involved in the Yolo County VAAC please visit: https://elections.yolocounty.gov/vaac.
Yolo County Elections Office’s Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee has served as a passionate and effective steering committee for the Voter Education Workshop to be held on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Mary L. Stevens Davis Branch Library – Blanchard Room (315 E. 14th Street, Davis, CA 95616)*. The workshop will prepare voters for the November 5, 2024, General Election by informing them about the voting process and providing hands-on practice with voting equipment.
The Elections Office encourages residents to connect with Yolo County ACE – Assessor/Clerk-Recorder/Elections on Facebook: @YoloACE, Instagram: @YoloCoACE, Threads: @YoloCoACE, YouTube: @Yolo County ACE, TikTok: @yolocoace and X:@YoloCoACE to receive the most up to date information. The 2024 Election Administration Plan can be read at: Voter's Choice Act — Yolo County Elections Office (yoloelections.org).
*Please note: Use of meeting rooms does not constitute an endorsement by the Library.