Accessible Voting
Page Contents
- Overview
- Voting at a Vote Center
- Voting by Mail
- Remote Accessible Vote by Mail
- Signature Issues
- Large Print and Audio CD Versions of Voter Guides
- Accessibility Committees
- Ensuring Vote Centers Are Physically Accessible
- Contacting Us
Overview
It is every voter’s right to cast their ballot independently and privately. The Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Office provides a number of services to make participating in the electoral process accessible to everyone.
Voting at a Vote Center
Accessible Ballot Marking Devices
Some voters have difficulty reading and/or marking standard paper ballots. Ballot marking devices provide voters with other ways to navigate through and mark their ballot, including:
- a touchscreen tablet with options to change the text size and contrast on the tablet
- headphones and audio instructions
- an Audio Tactile Interface Keypad (ATI) with Braille
- privacy masks for voters who are blind or have low vision to ensure their votes are kept private as they use the audio instructions
- ability for voters to bring in their own paddle and/or sip And puff assistive devices
Per California Elections Code § 4005(a)(2)(B), each Vote Center is required to have at least three accessible ballot marking devices. Sonoma County currently uses Dominion’s ImageCast X (ICX) Ballot Marking Device.
Please note that ICX ballot marking devices do not count or even save a voter's choices. After the voter confirms their selections on the “Review” screen, they must print out their ballot and place it in the teal ballot box where it will ultimately be counted alongside the other paper ballots.
The two videos below do a good job of showing the ICX in action. However, be aware that both come from organizations outside of Sonoma County (National Federation of the Blind, Access the Vote Florida), so there may be some minor differences from the setup used in Sonoma County.
- ICX Accessibility Settings and Voting Demo (National Federation of the Blind) - 12 min. 41 sec.
- ICX Explainer (Access the Vote Florida) - 9 min. 18 sec. Also available in Spanish and ASL.
Curbside Voting
All Vote Centers offer curbside voting on demand for voters who cannot (or prefer not to) enter the Vote Center. Just press the button on the call box located outside of the Vote Center. This will alert the poll workers inside and somebody should be out shortly to assist you.
Assistance from Others
If a voter needs assistance marking their ballot, they can choose up to two people to help them, provided they are not the voter's employer or union representative. Anyone who assists a voter cannot tell a voter how to vote or reveal to anyone else how that person voted.
Voting by Mail
All active, registered voters in California are automatically mailed a ballot for each election in which they are eligible to vote. The ballots go out approximately 29 days before Election Day and can be returned in three main ways
- By mail. In order to count, they must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received in our office within 7 days.
- Drop them off at one of our Official Ballot Drop Boxes. In countywide elections, there are a minimum of 21 such Drop Boxes available. They open approximately 28 days before Election Day and close at 8:00 p.m. on Election Night. Official Ballot Drop Box locations and days/hours of operation will be posted on our website approximately 45-60 days before Election Day.
- Bring it to any Vote Center. Vote Center locations and days/hours of operation will be posted on our website approximately 45-60 days before Election Day.
Remote Accessible Vote by Mail
A Remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail Ballot is similar to a standard Vote-by-Mail ballot except that the voter accesses and marks their ballot online, allowing them to utilize assistive technology as needed. Please note that this is not "Internet voting." A voter cannot submit their voted ballot online. Instead, once they are finished voting, they must print out the voted ballot and return it to our office via any of the methods described. Therefore, access to a printer is required in order to vote this way.
Remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail Ballots are available to anyone who requests them. However, they can be especially helpful to voters with disabilities who (1) are unable to go to a Vote Center to utilize accessible voting equipment and (2) do not want to rely on somebody else to help them fill out their traditional paper Vote-by-Mail ballot. They can also be invaluable for voters without disabilities who are out of town and unable to come to our office or go to a Vote Center.
To sign up for a Remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail Ballot, complete the request form. ***For the November 5, 2024, General Election, applications for Remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail Ballots must be received by Monday, November 4, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time***
Signature Issues
Marking Instead of Signing
If you are unable to sign your name, you can make a mark and have a witness aged 18 or older sign near your mark.
Signature Stamps
If you own a signature stamp, you can use the stamp to sign but you must first register the stamp at the Registrar of Voters Office. An elections official must witness you use your stamp on a new registration form before it will be valid for voting purposes.
Power of Attorney
A person who has been given Power of Attorney status cannot sign or make a mark for the voter. However, they can serve as a witness who signs near the voter's signature or mark.
Large Print and Audio CD Versions of Voter Guides
County Voter Information Guide
The County Voter Information Guide contains information about NON-statewide contests appearing on the ballot (U.S. representative, state senator, state assembly, local offices, local measures, etc.). It is put out by the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Office. Contact the Office to request either:
- A large print version of the County Voter Information Guide (on 11" x 17" paper) be mailed to you prior to each election.
- Audio CD(s) containing information on local measures on your ballot be mailed to you prior to each election. Please note that these CD(s) only include the following for each local measure:
- measure question
- % needed to pass
- who is for/against the measure
- impartial analysis
- tax rate statement (if applicable)
- fiscal impact statement (if applicable)
- arguments for/against (if submitted)
- rebuttals for/against (if submitted)
State Voter Information Guide
The State Voter Information Guide contains information about statewide contests appearing on the ballot (governor, U.S. senator, state propositions, etc.). It is put out by the California Secretary of State.
- Submit the Large Print Order Form to request that a large print version of the State Guide be mailed to you prior to each election.
- Submit the Audio Order Form to request that audio CD(s) containing the complete State Guide be mailed to you prior to each election.
Accessibility Advisory Committees
Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee (VAAC)
The mission of the VAAC is to advise, assist, and provide recommendations on how best to implement federal and state laws regarding access to the electoral process for voters with disabilities, so that all persons who vote have access to the voting process.
Language Accessibility Advisory Committee (LAAC)
The mission of the LAAC is to advise and assist the County Registrar with implementation of federal and state laws relating to access to the electoral process by voters with limited-English proficiency, so that all persons who vote can understand the voting process.
Ensuring Vote Centers Are Physically Accessible
Per California Elections Code § 4005(a)(4)(C), every Vote Center is surveyed to ensure it complies with accessibility requirements as laid out in:
- California Elections Code §§ 12280-12288
- Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
- Help America Vote Act of 2002 (PDF) (Election Assistance Commission)
- Voting Rights Act of 1965 (PDF) (Congressional Research Service)
Examples of these requirements include wheelchair-accessible entrances, a minimum number of handicapped parking spaces, signage, etc. Two resources that summarize these requirements include:
- Polling Place Accessibility Guidelines (California Secretary of State)
- 2022 Guide to California Building Standards Code, Title 24 (PDF) (California Building Standards Commission)
Contacting Us
Sonoma County Registrar of Voters
435 Fiscal Dr.
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Phone: (707) 565-6800
TDD for hearing impaired: (707) 565-6888
Fax: (707) 565-6843
Email: rov-info@sonoma-county.org