Washington, D.C. — Ahead of the midterm elections, the Center for American Progress released a series of state fact sheets examining key differences in voting accessibility for disabled Americans throughout the country. The four new state fact sheets, looking at voting accessibility in Colorado, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, build on CAP’s Accessible Democracy Tracker, launched in July 2026.
Barriers to registering, accessing election information, and casting a ballot can vary depending on where voters live. Using survey data from state and local disability and civic organizations, CAP continues to assess voting conditions—examining which states are leading the way for voter accessibility and the challenges that the disability community continues to face in exercising their rights.
“We have made important progress as a country when it comes to voting accessibility, but it’s clear that the disability community still faces barriers to casting their ballots,” said Casey Doherty, author of the analysis and policy analyst for the Disability Justice Initiative at the Center for American Progress. “Voting is a fundamental right. Inaccessible polling places or limited transportation and registration options should not determine who gets to participate in our democracy.”
States were scored on a five-point scale across five areas, including voter registration, voting information, in-person voting, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, and voting by mail. Currently, the national score stands at 3.3.
Key findings across the highlighted states include:
- Colorado scores above the national benchmark in every category. Colorado received an overall score of 4.1 out of 5, including a 4.7 for ADA compliance and poll worker training.
- Disabled New Yorkers have experienced significant barriers to voting in person. The state received an overall score of 3, including just 2.5 for both in-person voting and access to election information.
- Ohio faces severe barriers to voter registration. With an overall score of 2.9, Ohio received just 1.7 out of 5 for accessible voter registration efforts, compared with 2.3 nationally. Restrictions on ballot drop boxes have presented obstacles for disabled voters who face transportation barriers.
- Pennsylvania performs above the national benchmark but struggles with in-person accessibility. The state received an overall score of 3.8, yet scored just 2.8 for in-person voting, below the national score of 3.4.
The four analyses also feature firsthand accounts from disabled voters, illustrating how accessibility barriers can affect Americans even in states with relatively high overall scores.
CAP’s Accessible Democracy Tracker will continue to collect survey responses and voter experiences to identify accessibility challenges and track progress across the country.
Read the full analyses: Colorado, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
Explore CAP’s Accessible Democracy Tracker here.
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Christian Unkenholz at [email protected].