PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — As the deadline to register to vote in the primary election approaches, Philadelphia is working with nonprofit groups to educate the disabled community about the mayoral race and voting rights.
The deadline to register to vote in the May 16 primary election is May 1, and Rev Up Philly is working with the city to get members of the disabled community ready for the polls.
“We want to make sure that people know their rights, you know, they have the federal right to vote in person, and have an accessible voting polling place,” said Rev Up Philadelphia coalition founder Lauren Alden.
The group is part of a national movement to include Americans with disabilities in the voting process. The group also encourages people who are disabled to run for office, because representation in government is important.
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 states that someone with a hearing or vision disability must have access to at least one accessible voting machine, and the Americans with Disabilities Act says that all polling places need to be accessible.
About 16% of Philadelphia residents have a disability. Rev Up Philly wants to make sure the city’s disabled community is ready to vote in the primary election.
“We are having a mayoral town hall on April 18 and 19. And this is just dedicated to the disability community of Philadelphia,” Alden said.
“We really just want to make sure that people know this, you know, if you roll up to your voting site, and you can't get in, there's no ramp. We don't want people to roll away, we want you to roll right up to the workers there and say, hey, you need to put your temporary ramp out. It's my federal right.”
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