Advancing Accessibility to Improve Civic Health Equity

Abstract

Voting is a cornerstone of civic engagement and health equity, influencing policy at the local, state, and federal levels. Despite laws that have improved access, people with disabilities still face barriers to voting and full engagement in the civic process. With approximately one-fourth of the 2020 United States electorate (an estimated 67.6 million eligible voters) reporting either having a disability or sharing a household with someone who has a disability, the impact of these barriers is significant. Accessibility challenges affect all aspects of the voting experience, from accessing digital health and voting materials to completing the in-person or mail-in voting process. We highlight population and individual-level health benefits of voting, examine how public health professionals are uniquely positioned to integrate civic health equity into all phases of their work from assessment to evaluation, and discuss inaccessibility as a key barrier to voting and civic engagement. We present specific action steps to help our field meet technical accessibility standards, create team-based approaches to accessibility planning, and advocate against current threats to voting rights and access. We encourage public health professionals to look beyond compliance to apply a human rights lens to accessibility and civic health equity work.