Perspectives - Vol. 5, No. 1 - WE have the right to Vote!Lorre Mendelson, Political Activist/Disability Advocate, Northern California Updated: Feb 1st 2000 It's the year 2000, an Election Year, and WE have the right to Vote! We have the right to vote: for or against a candidate, issue, policy, ordinance or other political agenda in the United States of America. The purpose of this article is to increase the participation of all people with mental illnesses, 18 years and older, in the voter registration process, help others get registered, and vote. In the words of the Mental Health Voter Empowerment Project, "the Antidote to Stigma and Discrimination now has a Name: the Vote". Whether you have never voted, or you have always voted, each time can be a great sense of participation and accomplishment. Best wishes and Have Fun!! Here are some helpful guidelines to assist you: A. WHERE TO REGISTER TO VOTE? Register to Vote Online! Please go to http://www.fec.gov/votregis/vr.htm and click on your state. You may also obtain voter registration forms from your Registrar of Voters, Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, State Election Board, and Mental Health Service Provider to name a few. B. WHEN TO REGISTER TO VOTE? TODAY!! Registering early will allow you to vote in the primaries. Each time you move you must re-register in order to vote. You may need to have a picture ID so be prepared and obtain one right away. C. IS IT DIFFICULT TO USE THE VOTING BOOTH? There are different kinds of voting booths that are easy to use once you become familiar with them. - Have a field trip to the election office in advance with a demonstration on how to vote.
- Ask the election board or League of Women voters to attend a community gathering so people may practice and become familiar with the voting equipment.
D. WHO SHOULD I VOTE FOR? Become educated about the different candidates, party lines, and issues that will affect you by: - Set up town meetings and invite the candidates to speak
- Have a list of questions to ask the candidates reflecting your concerns ie: housing, transportation, mental health services, medical coverage, and social security. This year's candidate may be appointing Supreme Court Justices: what is the candidate's philosophy on the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act).
- Invite the league of women voters (or another reputable organization) conduct a presentation(s)
- Include people without mental illnesses, service providers, family members, and medical personnel to participate
E. ACCESSIBLE VOTING SITES Know where the site is to vote and how to get there on Election Day. One possibility is working with local election officials in advance for sites that are more likely to be accessible for people with disabilities i.e.: newer buildings, Independent Living Centers, YWCA, Hospital, Police or Fire Station. Also make sure the site is accessible by public transportation and arrange for good signage to indicate where people should go when they reach the site. There are an estimated 54 million Americans with disabilities: let's encourage election officials to create voting sites accessible for all voters. F. VOTING - Voting on Election Day inside the booth by yourself
- You can invite someone you want to go into the booth with you while you vote, of YOUR choosing. The only people in California who may not go into the booth with you are employer and union representatives. Find out the law in your state.
- Absentee Ballots
G. RESOURCES FOR POLITICAL ASSISTANCE: - League of Women voters: http://www.smartvoter.org
- National Consumer Supporter Technical Assistance Center at the NMHA: consumerta@nmha.org
- Mental Health Voter Empowerment Project: ksteele@tiac.net
- http://www.uproar.net/
- Lorre Leon Mendelson: lorreleon@aol.com
Article submitted by Lorre Leon Mendelson, Political Activist/Disability Advocate, Northern California. Lorre is in recovery for OCD, PTSD, and Depression: Who says you can't have it all!! Lorre received training from the National Mental Health Association, Project Empowerment, and presented at a Train the Trainers workshop for Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters, January 2000. She has initiated a project in Santa Clara County to register people to vote and to help improve access to polls for people who have a disability. Reference
Mendelson, Lorre (2000). We have the right to vote. [Online]. Perspectives. [2000, February 1]. | 
