Efforts to boost voter turnout by people with disabilities during the 2012 election cycle seems to have paid off in at least one New Jersey community, where a local organization reports that 84% of its members had their voices heard at the polls this past November.
The figure far surpasses the national turnout of all registered voters, which was 57.5% according to a press release by Community Access Unlimited (CAU) found on the NJToday.net website. While no data is provided for voter turnout among people with disabilities nationwide, the release quotes a Rutgers University study that said just 57% of all eligible Americans with disabilities cast ballots during 2008, compared to 64% of the total electorate.
The CAU credited the efforts of its internal advocacy group, the New American Movement for People with Disabilities (NAMPWD), which mounted a “Get Out and Vote” campaign in the town of Elizabeth and surrounding area that included holding public information meetings and distributing publications containing information about accessible polling and the importance of voter registration.
Among those who were surveyed for the release, 8.6% said they were first-time voters, which made NAMPWD leaders like Sid Katz proud. Katz has been working to raise awareness about political and social issues facing individuals with disabilities since the 1960s, when he realized none of the candidates addressed people like him. Katz’s quote in the release indicates his passion for the cause has not ebbed:
We have a voice and we have a right to choose who we want to represent us… It’s important we get friendly with the politicians. It’s our life. You can’t walk in my shoes but you also can’t step on my feet. We have to educate people about people with disabilities and our issues.
New Jersey made a number of changes in its support of people with disabilities last year. In April, Governor Chris Christie announced his administration was adopting an “Employment First” policy with the goal of removing barriers to employment opportunities for people with disabilities, including with regards to education and transportation.
At the same time, the New Jersey Department of Children and Families assumed responsibility for supporting families of children with disabilities from the Department of Human Services. Agency officials said the transition would enable the state to take a “holistic approach to serving children with autism and other developmental disabilities.”
Eight-four percent voter turnout is sure to put a smile on the faces of others who pushed for greater public participation by people with disabilities, like American Association of People with Disabilities CEO Mark Perriello. One can only hope it will also give attention mongers like Ann Coulter a moment to reflect on how important the voice of more than 50 million Americans can be in shaping U.S. policy.
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