MADISON, Wis. — 34 years ago today, President George H.W. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), marking one of the first ever federal protections to ensure equal rights and opportunities for people with disabilities and what is now known as Disability Independence Day.
“On the heels of a recent Wisconsin Supreme Court decision reinstating the use of ballot drop boxes in our elections, and a Dane County judge ruling that voters with disabilities can receive their ballots online, ensuring equal access to the ballot box for Wisconsin voters with disabilities is a prime example of how the ADA remains a critical tool to help all people fully participate in their communities, enjoy public accommodations, and exercise their freedoms,” said Mike Browne, deputy director of A Better Wisconsin Together.
For voters whose health is at risk and those with mobility challenges, access to ballot drop boxes close to their home or receiving voting tools online could be their safest – and sometimes only – option at election time.
In 2022, the MAGA-controlled state Supreme Court banned most use of ballot drop boxes, a ruling that created severe barriers for voters across the state, but especially for voters with disabilities.
“Ensuring that easily accessible drop boxes are available to Wisconsin voters should be the baseline, and not up for debate,” said Browne. “We applaud the current progressive majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court for doing what Wisconsinites elected them to do – protect our constitutional rights and freedoms, including the right to a representative democracy and equal access to the ballot box.”
This Disability Independence Day and beyond, call your representatives and demand that those we elect into office ought to be helping, not hindering, our ability to make our voices heard in our elections.
