People with disabilities have the right to register to vote so long as they are eligible, which means they:

• Are citizens of the United States;
• Are at least 17 years and 10 months old at time of registration (but to vote, they must be 18 years of age by Election Day);
• Have not been finally convicted of a felony, or if they have been convicted, have completed all of their punishment, including any term of incarceration, parole, supervision, probation, or have received a pardon;
  • Note: Deferred adjudication is not a final felony conviction.
• Have not been determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.
• Individuals who have legal guardians may be eligible to register, depending on whether the court took away their right to vote. All guardianship orders issued after September 1, 2007 must state whether the individual can vote.
• People with disabilities can receive assistance registering to vote from any state agency that provides services to persons with disabilities or from any person they choose.

On September 1, 1999, Texas became the first state to require that all new voting systems be accessible to voters with disabilities and provide a practical and effective means for voters with disabilities to cast a secret ballot.

• In every federal election (and most nonfederal elections), each polling place will offer at least one type of accessible voting equipment. This equipment allows voters with disabilities to vote directly on the system or assist them in marking the paper ballot. Depending on the type of system, voters with disabilities may use headphones or other assistive devices to help them vote independently and secretly.
• In certain nonfederal elections held in counties with a population of less than 20,000, accessible machines may not be available at every polling place. To determine if accessible machines will be available or to request an accommodation, contact the early voting clerk of the county or political subdivision holding the election at least 21 days before the election.

Click here to learn more about voting systems certified for use in Texas elections.

If you need assistance at the polls, tell the election official if you are a voter who needs help to vote. You do not have to provide proof of your disability.

Voters may be assisted by:

• Any person the voter chooses who is not an election worker;
• Two election workers on Election Day; or
• One election worker during early voting.

Voters MAY NOT be assisted by:

• Their employer;
• An agent of their employer; or
• An officer or agent of their union.

The person assisting the voter must read him or her the entire ballot, unless the voter asks to have only parts of the ballot read. The person assisting the voter must take an oath that he or she will not try to influence the voter’s vote and will mark the ballot as the voter directs. If the voter chooses to be assisted by polling place officials, poll watchers and election inspectors may observe the voting process, but if the voter asks to be assisted by a person the voter chooses, no one else may watch him or her vote.

It is illegal for a person assisting the voter to:

• Try to influence the voter’s vote;
• Mark the voter’s ballot in a way other than the way they have asked; or
• Tell anyone how the voter voted.

Polling places should support voters, not hinder them. When you go to the polls in Texas, you can expect:

• Your polling place will meet strict accessibility standards, including:
• A location on the ground floor that can be entered from the street or via an elevator with doors that open at least 36 inches
• Doors, entrances, and exits used to enter or leave the polling place that are at least 32 inches wide
• Any curb next to the main entrance to the polling place must have curb-cuts or temporary non-slip ramps
• Stairs necessary to enter or leave the polling place must have handrails on each side and a non-slip ramp
• Removal of all barriers such as gravel, automatically closing gates, closed doors without lever-type handles, or any other barrier that impedes the path of a person with physical disabilities to the voting station
• Voting systems that are accessible to voters with physical disabilities and can accommodate no vision, low vision, no hearing, low hearing, limited manual dexterity, limited reach, limited strength, no mobility, low mobility, or any combination of the foregoing (except the combination of no hearing and no vision)
• Each polling place will offer at least one type of accessible voting equipment. This equipment allows voters with disabilities to vote directly on the system or assist them in marking the paper ballot. Depending on the type of system, voters with disabilities may use headphones or other assistive devices to help them vote independently and secretly.