Call for Improved Voting Services for Those with Combat-Related Disabilities

Silver Spring, Md. – As the nation pauses to honor the sacrifice and bravery of its veterans, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission’s (EAC) commissioners are urging election officials to focus on efforts that can improve election services for veteran voters who return home with combat-related disabilities, and calling on veterans to continue their service at home by volunteering as election workers.

EAC Chairman Matthew Masterson, Vice Chairman Thomas Hicks and Commissioner Christy McCormick today issued the following statement:

“On Veterans Day, we honor the brave men and women whose service on the front lines of conflict across the globe protects our most fundamental rights here at home, including the right to shape our democracy through free elections. Today, we acknowledge their tremendous sacrifice and celebrate their patriotism by rededicating ourselves, and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, to work that advances election access for all, especially those veterans who return home with combat-related disabilities. The commission has prioritized working with election officials across the nation to provide guidance, innovations and best practices that can ensure these voters have the opportunity to cast their ballot privately and independently”.

“We also call on veterans who spent their time in the military fighting to defend our right vote and other American ideals to continue their service by working at the polls, especially in those jurisdictions with large veteran and military populations. Voters are often best served by poll workers who have a strong understanding of their community’s unique challenges and backgrounds. We hope America’s veterans will answer this call to action and seek out opportunities to volunteer as an election worker.”

Earlier this year, the EAC hosted a roundtable to discuss ways election officials can best serve veteran voters. To view that program, visit this link EAC.gov

For more information, please contact Brenda Bowser Soder at [email protected] or 202-897-9285.

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) was established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). It is an independent, bipartisan commission charged with ensuring secure, accurate and accessible elections by developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, adopting voluntary voting system guidelines, and serving as a national clearinghouse of information on election administration. EAC also accredits testing laboratories and certifies voting systems, as well as administers the use of HAVA funds. For more information, visit www.eac.gov