OPINION

Georgia voting bills would be collateral damage for disability community

Gaylon Tootle
Guest columnist
Guest column

All you hear in the news today is how changes in election law will affect Democrats or Republicans. But it’s not about the party, it’s about the process. Missing in the discussion is how disabled people are being left behind.

As a wave of election measures introduced by state Rep. Barry Fleming and state Sen. Max Burns are heard this week, I’m speaking out because – if passed – there would be collateral damage for my community, and we’ve been ignored throughout the process. I’ve lived as a blind Black man in Georgia all my life and reside in Rep. Fleming’s district. I haven’t had a chance to speak.

Proposals to limit early voting, remove drop boxes for ballot collection and even prevent people from handing out water to people standing in line at the polls are disrespectful. It’s all trying to tell my community we don’t matter.

As first vice president for the National Federation of the Blind-Georgia, we have a saying I often repeat: “Nothing for us, without us.” This bill was written with insulting ableist language – labeling "physical disabilities" as excuses – without understanding our accessibility needs.

It’s not for lack of trying.

We have made efforts to educate people. All Voting is Local, Georgia – a voting rights organization – advocated for increased voting accessibility with disability rights advocates (REV UP Georgia), urging the secretary of state and his elections director to provide scanners at polling sites so that blind people can review ballot selections printed independently. I even tried to testify multiple times for the hearings on the bill and was denied. While Zoom access at times was provided, this required connecting with your legislator and asking them to provide you access. This practice, at its core, is wrong. The practice allows the legislator to determine who they want to speak. That, to me, is not a public forum in its purest sense.

No action was taken to address our concerns. Instead, the secretary allowed blind people in recent elections to use scanner apps on their smartphones to review their selections. However, under Georgia’s current law, cellphones are banned from the ballot box. So even if a blind person tried to use their phone to read their ballot, they could be guilty of a crime. As of today, the secretary has not provided a method for blind voters to independently review their printed ballots.

As for early voting, Black voters rely on this, particularly in places lacking public transportation. Voting when you don’t drive takes planning. I grew up in Glenville, Ga. Rural Georgia is made up of small towns like Glenville without resources. My cousin Barbara uses a wheelchair and has difficulty accessing a car. Many people in Barbara’s world are working hourly jobs like fast-food businesses and convenience stores. Barbara set up a ride, but a doctor’s appointment came up and she missed the chance to vote. In the Black and disabled community, things take time. With early voting, time is on our side.

By cutting early voting, you’d expect more people to wait in line to vote on Election Day. However, a measure being heard in the state Senate would prevent voters from being given water while in line. This speaks to a mean-spirited, Southern plantation style mentality. 

To be sure, we all care about election security. Georgia officials, however, even Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, have repeatedly debunked conspiracies about election irregularities used to justify this legislative agenda. There were recounts, audits and court cases over this. In reaction to the bills making their way through the Legislature, Raffensperger said, “At the end of the day many of these bills are reactionary to a disinformation campaign that could have been prevented.”

Forty-three states, including Georgia, have together introduced over 250 bills to restrict voting access. What we need is more voter education. Instead, exploitative rhetoric stemming from the 2020 election has led to voter suppression.

These bills are unpopular. A new national survey conducted by Strategies 360 finds that American voters firmly reject recent state legislation restricting eligible Americans’ ability to vote safely, securely, independently and in a convenient manner. Americans endorse states’ efforts over the past year to give voters more options for voting safely during the pandemic, with a 70% majority of voters approving of these changes. Only 26% disapprove.

I’m not going to let the Georgia Legislature disrespect me or tell me I don’t matter. As lawmakers discuss these election bills this week, it’s time they think of me and my community. For far too long, Black voters didn’t participate in high numbers because we were so used to being beat down. But if our vote didn’t matter, they wouldn’t be working so hard to prevent us from voting. We will not give in.

Gaylon Tootle lives in Augusta and serves as first vice president for the National Federation of the Blind–Georgia as well an independent living advocate coordinator for Walton Options in Augusta. His opinions may not reflect the position of Walton Options Center for Independent Living or the National Federation of the Blind of Georgia.