Did you know DRAZ has a voter hotline on Election Day? We do. On Election Day, DRAZ staffs a hotline to address election concerns for individuals with disabilities related to the right to vote independently and privately and be able to access polling places and use accessible voting equipment. Call DRAZ at (602) 274-6287 (if you are in the Phoenix area) or 1-800-927-2260 (for calls outside of the Phoenix area) from 6 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Here are the top 10 questions that DRAZ’s voter hotline received from past elections:
Where can I vote?
Answer: In a county, such as Maricopa County, that has voting centers, voters may vote in any voting center in their county. In other counties, such as Pima County, voters may only vote in their assigned precinct. To find out whether your county has voting centers or assigned polling places and the location of polling places, visit your county elections department’s website or call them. See below for a list of contact information for county elections departments.
Where can I drop off my early ballot on Election Day?
Answer: You can only drop off your early voting ballot at any polling place in your county of residence. This means that if you work in Pinal County and live in Pima County, you can drop it off at any polling place in Pima County.
Who can drop off my early ballot for me?
Answer: A caregiver, family member or other household member (even if not related to you) can drop off your early ballot on Election Day. For example, a resident of a group home for people with disabilities could ask their group home staff to drop off their ballot.
Does my county offer curbside voting?
Answer: The following counties offer curbside voting: Apache County, Coconino County, Gila County, Graham County, Greenlee County, La Paz County, Maricopa County, Mohave County, Navajo County, Pima County, Pinal County and Santa Cruz County. Not all polling places in a county may offer curbside voting so check with your county’s election department to see which locations offer curbside voting. See below for a list of website addresses and telephone numbers for county election offices.
The following counties do NOT offer curbside voting: Cochise County, Yavapai County and Yuma County.
I am having trouble using curbside voting. What do I do?
Answer: Sometimes, people using curbside voting experience problems. For example, the designated parking spaces for curbside voting are being used by voters who are voting in the polling center. Sometimes, poll workers do not respond to the bell for notifying the polling center of a curbside voter and other issues.
This year, many counties anticipate that because of COVID-19 that there may be more people with disabilities using curbside voting because of the risk of serious health complication if they contracted COVID. These counties have taken steps to try and make curbside voting go smoothly.
Here are a few tips:
- Be patient and wait to see if the voter quickly leaves the designated spot.
- Ring the bell again. The poll workers may be tied up.
- Ask a voter entering the polling location to tell a poll worker that you are waiting outside.
- Check to see if there is any signage with a phone number. If so, call the phone number to request curbside voting.
- Call the elections department office and leave a message. Stay put to see if you get a response.
If these steps don’t work, call DRAZ’s voter hotline.
The accessible voting equipment is turned off. What do I do?
Answer: Ask a poll worker to turn on the equipment. You do not need to accept assistance if you prefer to vote independently and privately. If a poll worker is unresponsive, ask to speak to the polling official (sometimes called the marshal, judge or inspector) and ask them to arrange for the voting equipment to be turned on. If they refuse call the elections department. If you need help, call DRAZ’s voter hotline.
I encountered an architectural barrier in accessing the polling place. What do I do?
Answer: If the architectural barrier can be removed, (e.g. obstacles in pathway) ask a poll worker or the poll official (marshal, judge or inspector) to remove the barriers. If you are in a county that has voting centers, go to another voting center where you may not encounter the barriers. If the barrier can’t be removed and you are in a polling place that offers curbside voting, use curbside voting. Take these steps to be able to cast your vote on Election Day and make note of the polling location where the barrier exists and call DRAZ about the problem.
What identification do I need to show at the polls?
Answer: You may bring a state-issued identification. This includes either a valid driver’s license or a state identification card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles unrelated to driving. If you do not have a state issued identification, click here to read yesterday’s voting blog post about other acceptable forms of identification.
How late are the polls open?
Answer: Polling places close at 7 p.m. on Election Day.
May I vote if I am standing in line at 7 p.m.?
Answer: Yes, if you are standing in line before or at 7 p.m. you should be allowed to vote. Poll workers will rope off the line so that additional voters may not get in line after 7 p.m.
