Hotline available to help NH voters with disabilities access ballots on Election Day

By law, New Hampshire polling locations are required to take certain measures to make voting accessible to people with disabilities.

In an effort to help ensure those measures are taken, the Disability Rights Center of New Hampshire has created a hotline for people with disabilities who encounter problems while attempting to cast their ballots.

Most notably, the locations are required to let people use accessible machines specifically designed for blind people who can’t see a paper ballot or people with physical disabilities that prevent them from filling in the ballot or getting into a polling booth.

“Voting is a fundamental right, and our hotline is here to make sure that voters with disabilities can exercise that right,” James Ziegra, a DRC staff attorney, said in a press release.

On Election Day, Nov. 3, disabled voters in New Hampshire can reach the organization’s Election Day Hotline by calling 603-410-5200. Callers can ask questions or seek legal support on a range of voting issues, the DRC said, including:

• Using the accessible voting system
• What to do if a polling place isn’t accessible
• How to request accommodations
• Reporting unfair treatment or voter intimidation at the polls
• Understanding and exercising rights under laws like the 2002 Help America Votes Act or the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act.

Voters across New Hampshire will cast ballots for governor, Congress and State House positions on an Election Day that could tip the balance of power in both Washington, D.C., and Concord.

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