All polling locations are accessible, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact the Madison City Clerk’s office at voting@cityofmadison.com if you have questions about which accessibility features are available at your polling site.
Accessibility accommodations at polling places
When you vote in Wisconsin, you can request accommodations at the polls. The following accessibility features are available at polling locations in Wisconsin under the Americans with Disabilities Act:
- At least one accessible van and accessible car parking spot.
- Ramps and curb cuts, where needed.
- Entrances with automatic push buttons, call buttons or door monitors.
- Ballot marking devices that have the following features: text to speech, large print and braille buttons.
- Pen and paper for non-oral communication with poll workers.
- Large print signs marking the path to a building’s voting location.
The ADA requires all voting site to have these features. However, the act is often enforced when a building is renovated, so many voting sites are not yet fully equipped with each of the accessibility features mentioned above.
Asserting your access needs at the polls
As a voter, you have the right to vote privately and independently. You can assert your access needs on Election Day through any of the following actions:
- Seeking assistance from workers at the polling place who have been trained on the use of the ballot marking device and other accessibility features.
- Bringing someone to help you vote.
- Asking your local election officials about any voting aids or voting assistance procedures that are available.
If you have any further questions about accessible voting amenities in the City of Madison, visit the City Clerk’s page on voting accessibility.
The BadgersVote Coalition is a non-partisan, educational initiative of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, whose mission is to equip students with the knowledge and resources necessary to be active participants in democracy.
For more information on Wisconsin elections and voting, visit the Wisconsin Elections Commission.