Voting is the foundation of our democracy and an important civil right; voting and political participation is essential privileges of community membership. Not being able to vote is a denial of citizenship. Therefore, as citizens we have the right and the responsibility to cast our votes and participate in the governing of our communities. Every election affects each of us. The policies developed and implemented by those we elect impact us every day.
As the 2008 primaries approaches individuals will have a chance to express themselves by voting. Now is the time to do your research, learn about the candidates, so that you can make informed decisions to vote at the primaries.
At this website you will be able to download:
- Indiana Voter Registration Application
- Abbreviated Candidate List
- 5 Things to remember on Election Day
If you are one of those who believe "My vote doesn't make a difference." The response to that is “A lot of people feel that way, but if people with disabilities voted at the same rate as the rest of America, there would have been as many as 7 million more votes cast in the 1996 presidential election."
Think of these following facts:
- There are 54 million Americans with disabilities.
- 35 million Americans with disabilities are of voting age.
- 17.5 million voting-aged Americans with disabilities have a severe disability.
- People with disabilities register to vote at a rate that is 16 percentage points lower than the general population.
- There are more than 16 million people with disabilities across the country who are not registered to vote.
- If Americans with disabilities voted at the same rate as the rest of the population, there would have been four million more votes cast in the 2000 presidential election.
- In 2000, 41% of Americans with disabilities voted compared to 51% of all adults.
- Despite the National Voter Registration Act, 75 percent of people with disabilities report they have never been asked to register to vote by a service provider.
Source: These statistics were taken from the year 2000 United States Census.
Resources:
Voting Section
Civil Rights Division
U.S. Department of Justice
P.O. Box 661128
Washington, D.C. 20035-6128
www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting
(800) 253-3931 (Voice/TTY)
