Congresswoman Simon Introduces Legislation to Reduce Voting Barriers, Expand Voting Poll Access, and Protect Voters with Disabilities

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Last week, Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (CA-12) introduced two bills to reduce voting barriers by improving accessibility for voters, especially older Americans and people with disabilities, and bolster election security. She joined Reps. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), and Jamie Raskin (MD-08) in introducing The Accessible Voting Act; and she joined Reps. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) and Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) in introducing The Dropbox Access Act.

The Accessible Voting Act would establish the Office of Accessibility within the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to oversee state and local elections to ensure that voter accessibility needs are adequately met, by expanding the number of options to fairly cast ballots. The bill would also establish a website for National Voter Accessibility and fund a National Resource Center to further train election officials and poll workers on accessibility.

The Dropbox Access Act, would require states to provide in-person, secure, and clearly labeled ballot drop boxes in every county for federal elections. The bill would require counties to provide a minimum of one drop box per 20,000 voting-age residents and require that drop boxes are accessible 24 hours a day starting from 45 days before the election until polls close.

As the first congenitally blind Member of Congress, Congresswoman Simon is committed to defending the civil rights of Americans with disabilities and has continuously opposed rollbacks of disability protections. She has introduced numerous pieces of legislation aimed at expanding accessibility in small businesses and public transportation, and she has pressed the Trump Administration on their failure to protect workers with disabilities.

"Our elders fought for our voting rights with blood, sweat, and tears - and yet too many people, particularly older Americans and Americans with disabilities, still face barriers to voting such as inaccessible polling locations or access to voter information. Both the Accessible Voting Act and Dropbox Access Act will improve voter accessibility for requesting mail-in ballots, accessing voter registration info, and when showing up to the ballot box," said Rep. Simon. "As the first congenitally blind Member of Congress, improving accessibility to ensure that all Americans can equally access resources and participate in society is a top priority of mine. I am proud to lead on these bills with Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon to ensure ALL individuals can equally participate in local and federal elections to make their rightful voices heard."

"Our democracy thrives when every eligible voter is able to participate, and these bills will remove barriers that all too often make it more difficult for Americans to cast their ballots. I've seen how expanding accessibility and access to ballot boxes has improved voter turnout and engagement in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," said Rep. Scanlon. "I'm proud to introduce these bills to advance more equitable and just voting policies for all Americans."

"American democracy works best when all citizens can participate and vote, no matter where they're from, what language they speak or whether they live with a disability," said Rep. Raskin. "Our Accessible Voting Act strengthens access to the ballot box and addresses a wide range of systemic deficiencies, so no eligible voter is left alone to overcome barriers to casting a ballot."

"The ability for everyone to have their voice heard is central to our American ideals-yet too often people with disabilities face unnecessary barriers in both registering to vote and casting their ballots, preventing them from fully participating in our democracy," said Rep. Dean. "This legislation will help improve registration processes and eliminate barriers to voting, including by reauthorizing grants to improve voting accessibility for older Americans and those with disabilities. By breaking down these barriers, our communities can be better represented by every voice. I'm thankful to partner with Congresswoman Scanlon and Congressman Raskin to pass these essential bills."

"We should be making it more accessible for Americans to vote, not harder," said Rep. Garcia. "But the Trump administration and its Republican allies continue to attack voting rights and put up new barriers to the ballot box. That is why I am proud to once again co-lead the Dropbox Access Act, a practical bill to make sure voters have fair, accessible options to return their ballots. We should be protecting the right to vote, not suppressing it."

Find the full text for the Accessible Voting Act here.

Find the full text for the Dropbox Access Act here.

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