Polling Place GuideNew Haven, CT
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All topics · Topic 4 of 13 · Likely during any visit

Can voters get the help they need?

Assistance for Voters

Voters who need help because of a disability, or because they cannot read or write, can be helped by a person they choose. Help should make the voter's own choice possible, not replace it.

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A poll worker crouches beside a seated older voter to explain the ballot while the voter's companion waits nearby. A quiet corner of a polling place with a seated voting station. An older woman sits at the table with a ballot. A poll worker kneels beside her, pointing at the instructions and speaking quietly. The voter's adult son stands a step back, holding her coat. A small sign on the table reads Ask us for help.
Describe this illustration

A quiet corner of a polling place with a seated voting station. An older woman sits at the table with a ballot. A poll worker kneels beside her, pointing at the instructions and speaking quietly. The voter's adult son stands a step back, holding her coat. A small sign on the table reads Ask us for help.

Things you may notice

Things you may notice about respectful voter assistance.

  1. Voters can ask poll workers for assistance.

    For example: A voter says 'I need some help with this' and a worker responds.

    Share an observation

    The law behind this: Voting Rights Act, Section 208: help from a person of your choice · ADA Title II

  2. Workers explain available assistance options.

    For example: A worker explains that the voter can use the accessible voting machine, have two workers help, or bring a person of their choice.

    Share an observation

    The law behind this: Voting Rights Act, Section 208: help from a person of your choice · Help America Vote Act, Section 301: voting system standards · Accessible voting in Connecticut

  3. Voters can ask about receiving help from someone they brought with them.

    For example: A voter asks if their daughter can help them, and the worker says yes.

    Share an observation
    Learn more

    Under Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act, a voter who needs help because of a disability or because they cannot read or write may choose their helper, as long as it is not their employer or union representative.

    The law behind this: Voting Rights Act, Section 208: help from a person of your choice

  4. Assistance requests are handled respectfully and discreetly.

    For example: The worker steps closer and speaks quietly, instead of announcing the request to the room.

    Share an observation

    The law behind this: ADA Title II · Help America Vote Act, Section 301: voting system standards

  5. Voters receiving assistance can proceed to vote without unnecessary interruption.

    For example: Once a helper is approved, the voter and helper go to the booth without further questioning.

    Share an observation

    The law behind this: Voting Rights Act, Section 208: help from a person of your choice · ADA Title II

Notice something different? Write down what you personally saw or heard, including the time and location. You can ask an election official for help.

Why it matters

Many people need a hand at some point: reading small print, steadying a pen, understanding the ballot. How a polling place handles those requests says a lot about whether it welcomes everyone.

What one visit cannot tell you

  • Whether a helper marked the ballot the way the voter wanted. Only the voter knows that.
  • Whether a voter qualified for assistance. Workers may ask a brief question to confirm the need; that is normal.
In Connecticut
  • The Connecticut Secretary of the State publishes guidance for voters of all abilities, including how to request help and how to use the accessible ballot-marking system. (Accessible voting in Connecticut)
What the law actually says

Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act (52 U.S.C. § 10508) gives voters who need help the right to choose their helper. Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 12131–12134) requires public entities, including election offices, to make voting accessible and to communicate effectively with people with disabilities.

Related legal authorities
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