If you participated in the October 7^th Special Election, you may have noticed a few things about the accessibility (or lack thereof) of all that enables one to cast a vote. For instance, was your polling place accessible (i.e. were you able to get in the door without being lifted, shifted, or otherwise assisted)? Once you were in the door were you able to vote independently? Were you able to choose a candidate without having to rely on someone else to fill in the bubble, pull the lever, or push the button for you?
      If your answer is yes, consider yourself among the lucky.
      The typical experience of many people with disabilities is a frustrating lack of accessibility when it comes to voting systems. People with mobility and visual impairments are often forced to sacrifice the principle of the secret ballot and rely on others to cast their vote.
       But this doesn't have to be the case. There's a new law on the books that, among other things, is meant to guarantee a secret and independent vote to people with disabilities. The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) was passed in 2002 in order to improve federal election practices in the United States. HAVA requires that every polling place have at least one voting machine that allows people with all types of disabilities to vote secretly and independently. This mandate must be met by January 1, 2006, with lever and punch card systems completely replaced by the November 2004 presidential election.
      Specifically, HAVA requires the federal government to pay states to update voting equipment and polling places. Each state must make its own plan as to how this will be done. According to the text of the law, an eligible state, "shall use the payment received for:

1. making polling places, including the path of travel, entrances, exits, and voting areas of each polling facility, accessible to individuals with disabilities, including the blind and visually impaired, in a manner that provides the same opportunity for access and participation (including privacy and independence) as for other voters; and