Mock Arizona election shows off aid for voters with disabilities

Research has shown voting is a habit, but it has to be learned.

Vote the Spectrum, an effort launched last year to engage people with disabilities, hosted another habit-forming event in Arizona this week. The nonprofit staged a mock election Tuesday to show off new accessible voting equipment for Maricopa County voters.

The event also included presentations on issues Arizona voters say they want their elected officials to tackle, as well as question-and-answer sessions with county and state election officials.

But the highlight was a demonstration of the equipment. Patricia Huber watched as a county election staffer walked her through the process on the oversized vertical screen.

After entering their personal information to identify them as a registered voter, the user is presented with a series of screens that display the races that pertain to the voter's address. They can swipe through the pages after they make their choices.

The machines are connected to a controller that helps the user navigate the ballot. The devices are designed to accommodate various disabilities, said Scott Jarrett, director of elections for Maricopa County.

There is an auditory option — complete with earphones — for voters with hearing issues. Visually impaired users can select the contrast they'd prefer, as well as the type size. There's even a port for users to utilize a county-provided sip and puff switch , Jarrett said. The tool allows voters to navigate the ballot with their breath, a device that accommodates people who don't have the use of their hands. Voters can use a disposable mouthpiece or bring their own.

The machine is programmed to make it impossible to overvote — that is, to make more selections in a given race than is allowed.

After the voter makes his or her choices, a ballot is printed out. The voter can then put it in an affidavit envelope and put it in a drop box or, if voting with the assistance of a special election board, in a secure container to be returned to election headquarters. Voters who go to the polls on election day can feed their ballot directly into the tabulator.

Denise Resnick, who created the Vote the Spectrum drive, said the exercise was designed to allay concerns about voting.

"Voting is our superpower," she said. But some people shy away from it because of the controversy that has swirled around voting in recent years.

"We want to make sure they take fear and questions out of the equation," she said, emphasizing the organization's goals of getting more people with disabilities, as well as those who care for them, to vote.

"I'd like to think with how close our elections are, these votes can make a difference," she said.

Reach the reporter at maryjo.pitzl@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-228-7566 and follow her on Threads as well as on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @maryjpitzl .

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mock Arizona election shows off aid for voters with disabilities