Draft of Promoting Access to Voting: Recommendations for Addressing Barriers to Private and Independent Voting for People With Disabilities

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) requests public comments on the Draft Promoting Access to Voting: Recommendations for Addressing Barriers to Private and Independent Voting for People with Disabilities Document (Draft). The Draft was developed by NIST using information collected through the Request for Information (RFI) that was published in the Federal Register on June 16, 2021; review of reports, papers and other literature; and engagement with stakeholder organizations and election officials. The Draft was developed in response to NIST responsibilities set forth in Executive Order (E.O.) 14019, Promoting Access to Voting. Under section 7 of the E.O., Ensuring Equal Access for Voters with Disabilities, NIST is directed to evaluate the steps needed to ensure that the online Federal Voter Registration Form is accessible to people with disabilities and to analyze barriers to private and independent voting for people with disabilities and make recommendations to remove these barriers. The Draft is posted on the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov as well as the NIST website at: https:// www.nist.gov/itl/voting. The use of the eRulemakng Portal does not imply that the Draft is a regulation, nor mandatory guidance for federal agencies.