Here are some important things to think about before each election to help ensure you have a successful voting experience. You can write your own voting plan with the included document below. You can choose to share your plan with others who support you, but you do not have to share it.

If you have any questions, you can contact your county elections office, or you can call Disability Rights California’s Voting Hotline: (888) 569-7955.

Voter registration: You must register in order to vote.

• Are you registered to vote?
• Are your name and address up to date in your voter registration?
• If you are under a conservatorship, has the court made an order that you are not allowed to vote?

Voting using the ballot that is mailed to you: Ballots are mailed to all active voters who are registered far enough in advance of Election Day.

• Do you want to vote using the ballot that is mailed to you?
• Are you able to mark and/or handle a paper ballot?
• Do you need your voting materials in alternative formats?
• If you want to use a remote accessible vote-by-mail (RAVBM) system instead of the paper ballot that is mailed to you, do you have the technology you need?
• Are you able to sign your name? If not, do you know your options?
• Are you able to return your ballot by the deadline that applies if you are returning it by mail, in a ballot drop box, or to a voting location?
• Do you need help with any voting-related task? If so, who will help you, how, and when? Do you have a backup plan?

Voting at an in-person voting location: Though ballots are mailed, you can still vote at a vote center, polling place, or county elections office.

• Do you need (or prefer) to vote at an in-person voting location?
• What is the address of the voting location you will use?
• What day(s) and hours is that voting location open?
• Do you have a way to get to the voting location?
• Do you know about the accessible voting options available there?
• Do you need help with any voting-related task? If so, is there anyone you want to ask to go with you when you vote? Are they available?

The following is the Voting Plan presented with ASL. You can find a version to fill out and/or print at the bottom of this document.

My Voting Plan

Election Day: ________________

Instructions: Check the boxes that apply to you. If you do not know what something is or how to do it, you can contact your county elections office, you can call Disability Rights California’s Voting Hotline at (888) 569-7955, or you can ask someone else you trust for help. Thinking ahead will help you see any holes in your plan and fix them before Election Day.

Voter registration

• I am registered to vote.
• My county elections office has my current name and address.
• I am not registered to vote yet, but I know what steps to take to register.
• I am not registered to vote yet, and I need help figuring out how.

Voting using the ballot that is mailed to me

• I plan to vote using the ballot that is mailed to me.
• I am able to mark the paper ballot that is mailed to me.
• I need my voting materials in one or more alternative formats.
  • I requested the format(s) below from my county elections office.
  • I requested the format(s) below from the California Secretary of State.
    Format(s): ☐ Large print ☐ Audio ☐ Braille ☐ PDF
• I plan to use my county’s remote accessible vote-by-mail (RAVBM) system to mark my ballot using an electronic device.
  • I have access to all of the technology I need to use RAVBM.
    • Computer or smartphone with internet access
    • Printer that is connected to the computer or smartphone
  • I am able to read and handle the paper RAVBM ballot after I print it.
  • I have signed up to use my county’s RAVBM system.
  • I have practiced using RAVBM using a demonstration website.

• I know how I will sign the ballot return envelope (one of the following).
  • I am able to sign my name, and my signature should match a signature that the county elections office has on file for me.
  • I cannot sign my name, so I will use a mark, such as an X, instead of my name, and I will have someone sign the envelope as a witness.
  • I will use a signature stamp that I have registered in advance.
• I plan to return my marked ballot as follows:
  • By mail (postmarked on or before Election Day)
  • In a ballot drop box (no later than 8:00 p.m. on Election Day)
    • Drop box location:
  • At a voting location (no later than 8:00 p.m. on Election Day)
    • Drop box location:

Voting at an in-person voting location

• I plan to vote at an in-person voting location.
• I plan to vote at this location:
• Early in-person voting (before Election Day) is available at this location.
• I plan to vote on this day:
• The voting location will be open these hours:
• My plan for getting to the voting location is
• I have looked into any concerns I have about the physical accessibility of the voting location.

• I want to use curbside voting.
  • I understand how curbside voting works at my voting location.
  • I know how to call an election worker to my vehicle when I arrive.
• I plan to use the following things that will help me vote:
  • Accessible voting machine (also called a ballot-marking device), specifically the following features:
    • Touchscreen
    • Audio that reads the text on the screen and gives instructions
    • Enlarge the text on the screen
    • Change the color contrast on the screen
    • Port for attaching a sip-and-puff or paddle switch device

• I plan to use the following things that will help me vote:
  • Language assistance (could include American Sign Language [ASL])
    • I know what language assistance is available at my voting location
    • I requested ASL assistance in advance, and I know the plan for it
  • Magnifying sheet or glass
  • Pen ball grip (to help me grip the pen)
  • Signature guide (to help me sign in the right place)
• The following person/people will go to the voting location with me:

Assistance with voting

Instructions: You can use this page to record any other notes from your planning process. What help do you want or need so that you can vote successfully? Think about the voting process from start to finish: from registering to vote, to learning what is on the ballot, to casting your vote.

I need help with the following voting-related tasks:

The following person/people agreed to help me:

Here are the details of how and when I will receive this help:

If the above plans do not work, my backup plan is as follows:

Download the Voting Plan here:

Voting Plan (.pdf)

Please Note: To access accessible features of PDF please open document in Adobe Acrobat.