Voting with a Disability

If you are a person with a disability, the law offers accommodations that allow you to vote. In fact, Ohioans with disabilities have the same voting rights as non-disabled Ohioans. 

  • Have a guardian? You can vote. As long as you meet eligibility requirements and have not been declared incompetent for voting purposes by a probate court, you are qualified to register and vote.
  • Can't sign your name? You can still register...and vote. You can appoint an "attorney in fact" to sign a voter registration application on your behalf, as long as this happens at your direction and in your presence. For more information, visit the Voters with Disabilities page of the Ohio Secretary of State's website.
  • Need help voting? You can vote. You can ask for help from precinct election officials, or bring someone with you to the polls to help, as long as it is not your employer or an agent of your employer, an agent of your union, or a candidate that is running for office.
  • Live in a nursing home? You can vote. The Board of Elections can deliver a ballot to you. They will send two election officials of different political parties to deliver the ballot and return it to the Board of Elections.
  • Can't access the polling place? Can't see to read a ballot? You can vote. Ohio law requires that all voting locations be made accessible for people with disabilities. In Ohio, every polling location is required to have a voting machine that is ADA compliant. If you are a blind or vision-impaired person, let the poll workers know that you would like to use this machine. If you are unable to enter the polling place, you may vote curbside. Two precinct election officials from the major political parties will bring a ballot to you. You may sit in a car and vote, or you may vote at the door of the building.

People with disabilities can vote absentee or in person as long as they are registered by Ohio's voter registration deadline. 

There are a number of ways to register to vote with a disability, including online, on paper, and in person. There are also different ways people with disabilities can cast a ballot, including traditional absentee, remote ballot, in person, and in person with support.

The Ohio Secretary of State's website offers lots of information to help voters with disabilities, including:

Important Dates

To vote, you must bring identification with your name and current address if you wish to vote. You can also bring a support person to help.

You can vote in one of three ways:

  • Early In Person at the Montgomery County Board of Elections, 451 West 3rd Street, Dayton, OH 45422.
  • By Mail (Absentee): Request a ballot as soon as possible by calling 937-225-5656. Return deadlines vary; be sure to ask the Board of Elections what your deadlines are.
  • On Election Day at your local polling place: You can vote between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Election Day in Ohio. If you don't know where to go to vote, call the Montgomery County Board of Elections at 937-225-5656 or visit the Montgomery County Board of Elections website.

Questions about Voting?

If you have questions about voting, you can contact the Ohio Secretary of State's Office:

You can also contact the Montgomery County Board of Elections: