South Middlesex Times

People with disabilities are becoming an increasingly influential group in U.S. elections, according to a recent report by the Rutgers Program for Disability Research. The study estimates that 40.2 million people with disabilities will be eligible to vote in the upcoming November elections, marking a 5.1% increase since 2020 due to factors such as an aging population and medical advancements.

Professor Lisa Schur, Co-Director of the Rutgers Program for Disability Research, emphasized the potential impact of this demographic: “People with disabilities are the sleeping tiger in American politics,” she said. “They represent a large and growing portion of the electorate, and they could make a critical difference in the outcome of this and future elections.”

The analysis by Rutgers utilized Census Bureau data to project not only national but also state-level trends among voters with disabilities. The findings highlight that one in six eligible voters has a disability, showing a rise double that of voters without disabilities since 2020.

Moreover, when considering those who either have a disability or live with someone who does, this group expands to include 72.7 million people—approximately one-third of all eligible voters.

The breakdown within this community shows mobility impairment as the most prevalent condition (22.1 million), followed by cognitive (14.4 million), hearing (11.9 million), and visual impairments (7.2 million). Many individuals experience more than one type of disability.

Interestingly, there are now more eligible voters with disabilities than there are Hispanic/Latino or Black eligible voters in the United States.

In battleground states such as Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin alone, there are about 7.1 million eligible voters with disabilities—a significant number that could influence election outcomes.

The trend towards higher voter turnout among people with disabilities was noted between 2016 and 2020; nearly 62% voted in 2020 compared to 56% four years earlier.

However, challenges remain as some states have implemented laws post-pandemic that may restrict voting access—a concern for ensuring full participation from people with disabilities.

“People with disabilities are just as interested in voting as other citizens,” stated Distinguished Professor Douglas Kruse from Rutgers' research program. He added that despite difficulties faced while voting previously documented efforts show their commitment: “The high stakes in this election will motivate many people with disabilities to vote," he noted while stressing its importance being facilitated easily.