Accessible Voting
Accessible Voting in Grays Harbor County
Every eligible voter has the right to vote privately, independently, and with dignity. Grays Harbor County Elections is committed to ensuring that voters with disabilities have equal access to the voting process. Voters with disabilities may request reasonable accommodation or assistance to vote. All voting centers are required to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. For questions, accommodation requests, or accessibility concerns, please contact the Grays Harbor County Elections Department.
Assistance Voting Your Ballot & Pamphlet
If you are unable to vote independently due to a disability, you may choose a person you trust to assist you, or request assistance from two election officers. Voters under guardianship may still be eligible to vote. Guardianship documents indicate whether voting rights are retained. If eligibility is unclear, the voter will be issued a provisional ballot.
Accessible formats of the Washington State Voters’ Pamphlet are available online. Voters may also request a copy on CD or USB drive by contacting the Voter Hotline at 1 (800) 448-4881 or by email at mvoterspamphlet@sos.wa.gov. Please include your preferred format, name, phone number, and mailing address when inquiring to the hotline.
Accessible Voting Units (AVUs)
Accessible Voting Units (AVUs) are available beginning 18 days before Election Day and through 8:00 PM on Election Day at every voting center in Grays Harbor County. AVUs are wheelchair-accessible and arranged to protect voter privacy. AVUs work by displaying ballots on a monitor where Voters may make selections using a touch screen, select wheel, or assistive tools. Audio ballots are available using headphones as well as sip and puff device accessibility.
About the Disability Advisory Committee (DAC)
The Disability Advisory Committee (DAC) helps ensure equal access to elections for voters with disabilities in Grays Harbor County. The committee is authorized under RCW 29A.04.223 and provides recommendations to the Elections Department on reasonable accommodation and accessibility improvements. The DAC includes people with disabilities, disability community advocates, and service providers to reflect a broad range of perspectives and support independent as well as private voting for all registered voters.
Functions of the DAC include advising on accessible voting practices, reviewing the accessibility at voting center, provide recommendation improvements to election services, and support compliance with state and federal accessibility standards. Community participation is encouraged and if you are interested in serving on the Disability Advisory Committee, please contact the Grays Harbor County Elections Department.
