Alaska accused of denying accessible voting to voters with disabilities

The U.S. Justice Department has accused the state of Alaska of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by not providing accessible machines for in-person voting, selecting inaccessible polling places for elections, and maintaining an inaccessible elections website. The state has until July 1 to respond to the Justice Department about resolutions, and failure to reach a resolution could result in a lawsuit. The investigation found that not all early voting and Election Day sites had accessible voting machines, with some machines unassembled or not operational. The state's website was also found to be unusable for those with disabilities. The Justice Department emphasized the need for accessible voting systems in all elections and at each site conducting in-person voting, as well as making online election information more accessible and addressing physical accessibility deficiencies at polling places. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke highlighted the importance of ensuring individuals with disabilities have an equal opportunity to vote privately and independently. The federal government's findings in Alaska suggest violations of the ADA related to inaccessible voting machines, polling places with physical barriers, and website accessibility issues. Reports indicate that disabled voters in Alaska faced challenges in voting privately or independently due to unavailable or non-functional accessible voting machines and inaccessible polling places. The state's large size and extreme weather were cited as hindering factors to voting in Alaska, despite certain policies that make voting easier once at the correct polling location.