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Contact:
Cindy Leonard
Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium
info@wpdhac.org
Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium to Host Webinar on Disability Voting Rights
We Count: Disability Voting Rights in Western Pennsylvania
A free online webinar examining the history, current challenges, and future of disability voting rights
đź“… Date: Tuesday, September 15th
đź•™ Time: 10:00am - 12:00pm Noon EST
We Count: Disability Voting Rights in Western Pennsylvania is free, but advance registration is required.
Registration will remain open through Friday, Sept. 11.
More information and registration are available at: https://www.wpdhac.org/we-count-disability-voting-rights-in-western-pennsylvania-webinar/
The program will feature keynote speaker Tracy C. Baton, LCSW, Director of Indivisible Pittsburgh, followed by a moderated panel discussion led by Jennifer Garman, CEO of Disability Rights Pennsylvania. Panelists will include Dr. Josie Badger, Executive Director of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on People with Disabilities; Mallory Hudson, Disability Program Director at Keystone Progress Education Fund; and Emma Shoucair, Deputy Policy Director at the Pennsylvania Department of State.
The webinar comes at a time when voters with disabilities continue to encounter barriers throughout the voting process despite decades of federal and state protections. Topics will include polling place accessibility, transportation, voting in hospitals and other institutional settings, mail-in voting, ballot curing, voter assistance, county-level differences in election administration, enforcement of accessibility protections, and practical ways individuals and organizations can strengthen voting access.
“Voting access is not simply about whether someone is legally permitted to cast a ballot,” said Cindy Leonard, Executive Director of the Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium. “It is also about whether voting systems are designed and administered in ways that allow people with disabilities to participate fully, independently, and with dignity. This program connects the history of that advocacy with the barriers voters continue to experience today.”
The program is intended for people with disabilities, advocates, service providers, nonprofit and community organizations, public officials, and others interested in disability rights, voting access, and civic participation.
Zoom’s built-in captioning will be available throughout the webinar. ASL interpretation will be provided upon advance request by Sept. 11. Participants may indicate additional accommodation needs during registration.
The webinar is made possible through funding from the Three Rivers Community Foundation.
About the Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium
The Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium works to preserve and share disability history, connect that history to contemporary issues, and create opportunities for education, dialogue, and community engagement. Through educational programs, historical resources, and community partnerships, the Consortium highlights the people, organizations, and movements that have shaped disability rights in Western Pennsylvania and beyond.
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