An examination of the role of disabled voters. This article investigates how voter turnout and political views compare between voters with and without disabilities. Results stem from four national surveys: the 2008 and 2010 Current Population Surveys (CPS), the 2007 Maxwell Poll on Citizenship and Inequality, and the 2006 General Social Survey (GSS).
The surveys indicate that:
- Voter turnout in the 2008 and 2010 elections was significantly lower among people with disabilities, especially those with emotional impairments of fear of going outside.
- Controlling for education level, there is no significant difference in number of political activities engaged in during 2008 and 2010 between people with and without disabilities.
- People with disabilities are more likely to favor government responsibility in regards to employment rates, healthcare, and low-income housing.
Additional Information
In order to close the gap in voter turnout, the authors recommend:
- Continued efforts to improve polling place accessibility
- Improvements in educational and employment opportunities
- Efforts to increase social inclusion of people with disabilities
Links
Schur, L., & Adya, M. (2012). Sidelined or Mainstreamed? Political Participation and Attitudes of People with Disabilities in the United States. Social Science Quarterly, 94(3), 811–839. doi: DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-6237.2012.00885.x.