SB 517

Current law requires that each polling place be accessible to all individuals with disabilities. The Elections Commission must ensure that the voting system used at each polling place will permit all individuals with disabilities to vote without the need for assistance and with the same degree of privacy that is accorded to nondisabled voters.

In addition, current law provides that if an election inspector is informed that a voter is at the polling place entrance but unable to enter the polling place because of the voter’s disability, the inspector must allow the voter to receive assistance marking the voter’s ballot at the polling place entrance. Also, upon notifying the presiding election official, a voter who is inside the polling place, but unable to mark a ballot because of a disability or because the voter has difficulty with reading or writing may receive assistance from another voter.

Finally, no later than June 30 of each odd-numbered year, the commission must submit a report on impediments to voting faced by the elderly and individuals with disabilities to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature.

This bill requires all election officials, including municipal clerks and election registration officials, to attend one hour of training regarding voter accessibility to ensure compliance with current accessibility requirements. The accessibility training is in addition to training requirements under current law for election officials. The bill requires the Elections Commission to first provide the accessibility training before the 2027 spring election.