Disability Services

Disability Services at the Polls

Arlington’s polling places provide services to accommodate voters with disabilities.

  • All polling places offer wheelchair accessibility, and each has an accessibility-friendly device that sits either on a table or a wheelchair-accessible booth.
  • The accessible voting device has an audio ballot that allows blind voters to cast their ballots without assistance. If a voter with limited vision prefers to vote a touch-screen, the type on the screen can be enlarged and the contrast adjusted as need.
  • The touch screen on the accessible device helps voters with physical limitations who can’t mark a paper ballot vote without assistance. The device also supports sip-and-puff attachments.
  • Voters who can’t enter a polling place due to physical limitations can vote curbside. When they reach a polling place, these voters can send someone into the polls on their behalf to ask an election officer to bring a ballot out to the car.
  • Each polling place has a magnifying device for voters who may have difficulty reading the ballot.
  • Voters who need assistance in casting a ballot due to physical or educational disabilities can request assistance. Voters may bring an assistant with them into the voting booth, or they can ask an election officer to assist.
  • Voters should contact the Office of Voter Registration by email or by phone at 703-228-3456 to report polling place accessibility problems.

If you’ve been designated a poll watcher for an upcoming election, review Arlington’s Guidelines for Poll Watchers(PDF, 183KB)  to ensure you comply with the appropriate procedures and laws on Election Day.

Curbside Voting

Voters over the age of 65 or who are physically unable to come inside a polling place, can vote from their car. An Election Officer will verify that you are a qualified voter and bring a ballot to your car for you to mark. The Election Officer will insert the ballot into the scanner for you.

Voters can have their driver or assistant go inside of the polling place to notify the Election Officers that they have a voter waiting outside in the car. This assistant should have the voters ID so that check in can be expedited. 

If you do not have an assistant, you can call 703-228-3456. We will notify the early voting location that you are either on the way to the polling place or waiting outside. We will ask your name, address, and make if your car. 

Please note that if there is a line at the polling place, it might take time for the Election Officers to be able to assist you.