YOUR VOTE MATTERS:

DISABILITY ADVOCATES CAN HELP CHANGE 

LEGISLATION FOR THE BETTER

Shaun Hill

Shaun Hill, MDA’s Manager of Public Policy and Advocacy, is leading the Access the Vote campaign to provide resources and guidance for navigating the electoral process.

She urges MDA members to use their right to vote to champion legislation impacting the disability community.

“Access the Vote is all about education, engagement, and empowerment,” Shaun says.

“The initiative aims to help people understand our government, the issues that affect our community, and how these things intersect with our daily lives.”

Along with teaching individuals how to be active, informed voters, Access the Vote addresses the barriers people with disabilities still face to exercising their right to vote — from lack of transportation to inaccessible voting machines.

It is a vital resource for information on disability voting rights and practical tools for preparing to vote.

Deborah McFadden was instrumental in writing the ADA and getting it passed in her role as US Commissioner of Disabilities under President George H. W. Bush. Deborah now operates Abilities Count to assist families in navigating disability benefits.

She recounts: “I was talking to five people who had just turned 18 that I helped with SSI and vocational rehabilitation, and I asked them if they were registered to vote.

Not one was.

I told them voting is the cornerstone of Democracy.

If there is one thing I can say to parents of children with disabilities, it is to vote and encourage your children to register when they turn 18.”

MDA wants to ensure that everyone in the neuromuscular community has the knowledge and opportunity to engage in the electoral process at all levels of government.