Helpful Tips for Voting in North Carolina with Disabilities

Did you know that 1 in 5 people eligible to vote has a disability? Disability Rights North Carolina (DRNC), helps North Carolinians with disabilities understand their civil rights and can be a resource to you for help understanding your voting rights. The Brain Injury Association of North Carolina also helps North Carolinians with brain injuries with online resources that help them navigate life living with a disability.

Through our work with clients undergoing treatment after an accident, we at Grimes Yeoman understand how important it is for those with disabilities to have access to the resources they need. Our Managing Partner Elizabeth G. Grimes, known as “Libby”, works tirelessly for those with disabilities by both representing injured clients but also serving as a board member for the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina. This position allows her to see firsthand the needs of disabled residents of North Carolina. One of those needs includes access to voting during election time.

The voting process has three key components:

• Register
• Request A Ballot
• Vote

To Register to Vote in North Carolina You Must Be:

• 18 years old on or before election day
• US citizen
• NC resident
• Have a NC driver’s license or DMV issued ID

The deadline to register to vote in 2020 is October 9^th.

4 Ways to Register to Vote:

• Online
• In Person: Local Board of Elections office or Local Early Voting Site
• At Home Mail in Form
• Government Agencies: NCDMV, Department of Social Services, Department of Public Health, Vocational Rehabilitation Offices, Department of Mental Health Services

Where to Vote:

• In person at your designated polling place: Must be accessible to people with disabilities and offer curbside-voting. Poll workers required to assist voters with disabilities if they need help. If your location is not accessible, report it.
• At Home and Mail in Form: Request an Absentee Ballot from the NCSBOE website or County BOE office by October 27, 2020. Mail in your ballot or hand deliver it to your local county BOE office or voting site during Early Voting.
• In a Facility: You have the right to vote from a facility, such as a nursing home, hospital, adult care home, or psychiatric facility! If you live in a facility, you can request help from a MAT (Multipartisan Assistance Team) and they will be appointed by your County Board of Elections to provide assistance in registering to vote and requesting or casting a mail-in absentee ballot.

Things to Remember:

• You can vote even if you have a guardian
• You can vote even if you have a felony conviction, as long as you have served your time and finished any probation or parole. However, you will have to register to vote again.

Early Voting in North Carolina for 2020 is October 15^th– 31^st.

After an accident or an injury, the most important thing is your recovery. Hopefully, these tips help you learn more about your voting rights if you have suffered from a disability that was the result of an accident. If you are looking for a firm that can help you navigate the legal process after an accident, please give our experienced lawyers at Grimes Yeoman a call at (704) 321-4878 or contact us online.