ACCESSIBLE VOTING
FOR WOUNDED WARRIORS
Georgia Tech Research Institute
Linda Harley
Defining the Problem

Over 50,000 service members have returned from combat with a range of disabilities (National Council on Disability)
•	Loss of sight
•	Loss of limbs
•	Traumatic Brain Injury
•	Polytrauma
Due to the nature of the military environment,  the injuries differ from those of the general population.

Evolution of Warfare

Higher injury rates
•	Not as many service members killed in combat
•	Blast injury rates higher due to better understanding of injury

Better survival rates 
•	Improved body armor
•	Improved combat lifesaving techniques (more effective training)
•	Improved efficiency of Air Evacuation system
The Modern Battlefield?

Themes Emerging from
Needs Assessment
•	Reliance on technology (PDAs, prosthetics, wheelchairs) 
•	Avoidance of social situations and crowds
•	Sensitivity to overstimulation (light, ambient noise)
•	Loss of motivation
•	Difficulty with memory and concentration
•	Limitations in endurance (fatigue, pain)
•	Hearing impairments (hearing loss and tinnitus)

The Voting Process

Overview of Absentee Voting procedures
Active Duty
•	Access to special procedures
•	Voting Assistance Officers
Veterans 
•	Same as general population voters (no additional assistance provided) 

Making Voters Aware

•	Awareness of election information
•	Awareness of absentee voting procedures
•	Access to absentee ballots 

These can be challenging, particularly for those with cognitive and physical limitations.

Impact of Impairments on Voting:
Cognitive
Ballot Design
•	Sparse Layout
•	Large Controls
•	Flexible control options
•	Large Fonts
•	Mixed Case
•	High Contrast
•	Consistent Layout
•	Linear Presentation
•	Error Handling
•	Summary Page
•	Context Sensitive Help
•	Voice Input
•	Tracking Input

Hardware Considerations

•	Portability.  System should be able to be brought to users where they are.
•	Beneficial for users with mobility or social anxiety issues, allowing them to vote where they are physically or psychologically comfortable.
•	Flexible use.  System should support a variety of physical use cases.
•	Small and light for handheld use (tablet)
•	Mountable on a portable stand for use from a bed or chair
•	Installable as a fixed kiosk

Policy Considerations

Ballot information must be made available in a format (e.g., EML) that can be styled and displayed in a variety of ways
Common data format
Thank you!