Learn About Voting with Disabilities
The New Hampshire Constitution, as amended by the voters of New Hampshire in 1984, requires that all polling places be accessible, and that absentee voting be available to voters who are unable to vote in person.
The Law
“The general court shall provide by law for voting by qualified voters who at the time of the biennial or state elections, or of the primary elections therefor, or of city elections, or of town elections by official ballot, are absent from the city or town of which they are inhabitants, or who by reason of physical disability are unable to vote in person, in the choice of any officer or officers to be elected or upon any question submitted at such election. Voting registration and polling places shall be easily accessible to all persons including disabled and elderly persons who are otherwise qualified to vote in the choice of any officer or officers to be elected or upon any question submitted at such election.”
New Hampshire Constitution, Part First – Bill of Rights, Article 11.
Polling Place Accessibility
Each polling place is equipped with an accessible voting system to assist voters with a disability to independently and privately mark a ballot at every state election with a federal office on the ballot. The system is called “one4all” and is available for use by any voter.
A tablet computer attached to a printer allows a voter to independently and privately produce a marked ballot using either an audio or an enhanced visual interface. Local election officials provide the voter with instructions on using this system. The ballot will look the same as and be counted in the same manner as all other election day ballots.
A voter who needs assistance marking his or her ballot at the polling place may ask the Moderator to authorize assistance from an election official or a person of the voter’s choosing.
Every polling place must be accessible to persons with a disability.
If a voter is unable to enter the polling place, an election official will assist the voter to cast his or her ballot from a vehicle parked curbside using the Absentee Voter procedure. Voting absentee in this manner is for use only in the event an unforeseen accessibility issue arises.
The New Hampshire Attorney General enforces the state’s election laws, including requirements for accessible voting.
Accessible Absentee Voting
New Hampshire provides an opportunity for individuals with print disabilities to electronically receive and mark their state election absentee ballots. This option for persons with print disabilities is available for state elections. More information can be found by clicking the following link: Voters with Print Disabilities – Reasonable Accommodation Returning a Marked Absentee Ballot
The Application for an Accessible Electronic Absentee Ballot can be read with NVDA and JAWS screen readers using Adobe Reader, which is a free download available here. To fill out the Application, download it and open it in Adobe.
Voter Assistance
An absentee voter with a disability may receive assistance if they follow the proper procedure. Visit our Voter Assistance page for more information.
More questions?
Check out our FAQ page for Voters with Disabilities.