Covering under-reported disabilities stories this election cycle

In the U.S., more than 61 million people are living with a disability, yet they remain underrepresented in journalism produced by national newsrooms.

To better serve this audience, the Institute asked Katy Neas, chief executive of The Arc, a nonprofit organization that promotes disability rights, for her advice on the types of stories that would elevate the voices of this underrepresented community. 

Neas’ advice prompted the creation of several Election 2024 tipsheets, including finding sources and covering disabilities and voters. Here is the third in the series.

What are three under-covered story ideas connected to the 2024 election and disabilities?

Protecting the disability vote: People with disabilities face discriminatory barriers to exercising their fundamental right to vote. Journalists can spotlight policies and practices hindering the disability vote, including inaccessibility at polling sites, reduced access to early voting, and guardianship laws. 

In addition, many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are often wrongly presumed to lack the competency to make informed decisions about candidates and policies impacting their lives. Journalists can highlight the systemic biases that continue to disenfranchise people with disabilities and hold candidates accountable for dismantling obstacles and respecting the competence of disabled voters.

Planning for an uncertain future: For many parents of adult children with disabilities, elections represent far more than just choosing political leaders — they are a pivotal opportunity to protect their child's quality of life and security. With significant workforce shortages in paid caregiving, shortages in affordable supportive housing, and insufficient funding for independent living services, these parents face the terrifying uncertainty of who will deliver respectful, individualized support for their child as they age. 

Journalists can play an important role in highlighting how candidates’ policies and priorities around workforce development, Medicaid, social services, and more could alleviate or exacerbate this looming crisis for families. Be sure to ask people with disabilities what they hope and dream for their future — and how support can help them achieve that.

The illusion of support systems: Journalists can also highlight safety net programs that are woefully underfunded, difficult to navigate, and do not come close to meeting the current needs of eligible individuals. For example, nearly 700,000 people are stuck on years-long waitlists to receive critical home and community-based services through Medicaid. People with disabilities — like Down syndrome and autism — make up 72% of nationwide waiting lists,  leaving many people with disabilities isolated, fighting daily for dignity and independence, impoverished, and even institutionalized.