Voter Registration and Accessible Ballots

Voter Registration

Any student can register to vote in state or national elections by completing and mailing a Voter Registration Form. These forms are available at Lane in Disability Resources (Bldg 1 Rm 218) or Student Life and Leadership (Bldg 1 Rm 206).

Students can also access registration information online:

• Oregon registration information - registration information for registering to vote in Oregon.

• National registration information - registration information for registering to vote in any state.

If you need assistance in completing a form or computer access to download registration information, Disability Resources staff will be happy to help.

Accessible Ballots

The Oregon Secretary of State and the Elections Division want to make voting more accessible to voters with disabilities. The goal is to provide the opportunity for every voter to vote privately and independently. To begin the path to reaching this goal the State of Oregon Elections Division has developed the Alternate Format Ballot (AFB). The Alternate Format Ballot provides voters with disabilities a more accessible ballot that can provide many voters with the opportunity to vote privately and independently.

One of the many exciting things about the Alternate Format Ballot is that it allows voters with disabilities to vote at home if they have access to an accessible computer with a web browser and a printer.

• The Alternate Format Ballot is an electronic document that opens in a web browser and uses check boxes and text boxes to allow the voter to make their choices. It can be e-mailed directly to the voter or it can be sent by regular mail on a CD. The ballot will come with step-by-step instructions that will explain how to complete and return the ballot.

• The Alternate Format Ballot is specifically designed to work with many different types of assistive technology: Screen readers, sip - puff devices, screen enlargers, Braille displays, switches, joy sticks, and other alternative input devices.

• Once received, the voter opens the ballot in the web browser, makes his/her desired choices, verifies that the selections are correct and prints the ballot. The voter must be sure to keep the ballot package they received from the county elections office because the Alternate Format Ballot MUST be returned in the signature envelope.

If the voter does not have a computer, each county elections office will have at least two accessible computer stations. One will be in the office during the election period and will allow voters to vote the Alternate Format Ballot at the elections office. The second station will be portable and can be taken out of the office as needed. The portable station will allow a voter to request assistance to vote the ballot at a location agreed upon by the voter and the county elections officials.

Additional information

If you have a disability and need help completing your ballot or registering to vote, you can request assistance from your local county elections office.

For more information about the Alternate Format Ballot call Gene Newton at (503) 986-2352 or dial the toll free elections information line at 1 (866) ORE-VOTES. That's 1 (866) 673-8683.

Resources on External Web Sites

• Oregon Resources for Voters with Disabilities — Oregon Secretary of State Elections Division web site with links to an "Audio Guide on Voting in Oregon" and a video on the Alternate Format Ballot.

• U.S. Resources for Voters with Disabilities — Legal information from the United States Election Assistance Commission.