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OPEN LETTER TO FRANK LAROSE: Make curbside voting more accessible for people with disabilities.

An SUV with a giant "I Voted Today" Sticker on the back window.

Want to help make curbside voting more accessible? We created a petition. Please share it with your fellow Ohioans.


Prefer to reach out to the Secretary of State yourself? His contact page has phone and email information.


Frank LaRose

Ohio Secretary of State’s Office

180 Civic Center Dr.

Columbus, Ohio 43215


Dear Mr. LaRose, 


We are writing to you as a group of people who have multiple disabilities, who have family members with disabilities, and who serve community members with disabilities. As you know, Ohio law guarantees the right to curbside voting for those who are physically unable to enter a polling location [R.C. 3501.29(C)]. While we have seen signs erected at all of the polling locations we’ve been to, the signs themselves are not accessible. 


We also saw no additional signs telling people where the curbside voting would take place if they did plan to use it. It is important to provide signage with easy to follow instructions for everyone who wishes to use curbside voting so as to avoid confusion and frustration.


Here is a photo of the sign that is currently used at all Cuyahoga County polling locations. Even an individual with no vision impairments would have difficulty seeing and reading it from their car. The font size poses a challenge for both voters with disabilities and anyone who comes with them to help them vote (like a family member).


A photo of the current signs letting people know about curbside voting in Cuyahoga County. The font is too small to be seen from a person's vehicle. The sign is also currently being blocked by a flag, making it even more difficult to read.

We have included the changes below for making curbside voting more accessible:


  • The signage should instruct voters on where to park to use curbside voting from their vehicle;

  • The signage should provide the next step on what the voter should do in order to continue their voting process; 

  • Characters and numbers should be sized according to the viewing distance from which they are to be read (which is typically from a vehicle);

  • Adding additional symbols and images (like arrows) to supplement the written instructions will aid voter comprehension.


Since 14.4% of Ohioans are living with a disability and 16.8% to 17.9% of Ohioans are 65 or older, it is imperative that we make voting as accessible as possible, whether they choose curbside voting or another method. 


There are many areas where Ohio has already made elections more accessible, such as improving the Secretary of State’s website, providing accessible parking at polling locations, and offering audio ballots. The availability of these options shows that the Secretary of State’s office and Board of Elections have it within their power to make curbside voting signs more accessible, too.


The signees of this letter are willing to meet with you to discuss how to make curbside voting more accessible. 


Sincerely,


Cleveland VOTES



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