tart

uide

Quick

S

G Curbside Voting

Helping America Vote

About the Quick Start Guides: The EAC's Quick Start Guides are intended to familiarize local election officials with various topics

they will likely encounter in election administration. The guides are a starting point to identify areas of concern and give officials a

broad idea of factors they should consider in approaching a given topic.

What is Curbside Voting?

Curbside voting enables voters to cast a ballot in-person outside of a polling place or voting location. If

allowable by law, voters may use curbside voting from their vehicle or along the path of travel to the

voting area. Typically, elections workers will bring the voter a poll book to sign, a ballot, and any other

voting materials needed to cast a ballot privately and independently. 

Ensuring Accessibility

A curbside voter has the same right to assistance as any other voter. Best practices for accessible curbside voting include:

Provide information to voters on who qualifies for curbside voting and how voters can notify election workers at the

polling place they need curbside voting assistance.

Position signs to direct voters to the curbside voting location. Include phone numbers for election workers on signs. 

Ensure that accessible parking is available outside of every polling place and that voters have a way to notify election

workers that they need assistance easily. 

Speak directly to a person with a disability, not to others accompanying a voter. Do not ask about or mention a

person's disability unless they talk about it. Remember, treat all voters equally. 

Ask voters if they need assistance marking their ballot or if they would like to use an accessible voting machine to

cast their ballot. Follow the jurisdiction's instructions on how to assist voters if they indicate assistance is required. Not

all voters can communicate verbally. Offer alternative ways for voters to communicate they need assistance, such as

nods, written responses, or other indicators. Let the voter establish which communication method they prefer to use

(e.g., assistive technology, writing on a piece of paper).

Instruct voters on how to vote and notify election workers when they finish voting. 

Best Practices

Strict chain of custody and privacy rules apply equally to curbside voters as voters who enter a polling location. The following

guidance may be helpful when working with curbside voters: (Note: Legal requirements and procedures vary by jurisdiction.)

Offer a way for voters to schedule an appointment to vote curbside. Appointments can reduce wait times and

ensure voters know what to expect when they arrive at the voting location. 

Train poll workers on how to properly assist curbside voters. Include detailed instructions on election law and Examples of Key Terms voting rights, with step-by-step guidance on communicating with curbside voters. Be sure to include training on

how voters can use the accessible voting device when voting curbside.

Ensure there is a dedicated voting machine and poll book for curbside voting. 

Use a curbside alert system or call button outside the polling place to allow voters to notify election workers they

need curbside assistance easily. 

Verify the voter's registration status before issuing balloting materials to the voter. If the voter is not eligible to cast

a regular in-person ballot, follow the jurisdiction's instructions on assisting the voter with voting provisionally,

registering or updating their registration, or other applicable alternative resolutions.

Determine if the voter requires assistance to mark their ballot. In most states, voters can receive assistance from

anyone they choose, except no voter can receive voting assistance from their employers or union representatives. 

Ensure that at least two election workers accompany all election materials when assisting voters outside of the

polling place. This includes returning to the polling place with voted ballots and when casting ballots for voters.

Provide clipboards to voters to assist when marking their ballots. 

Allow voters to mark their ballot in privacy. Provide voters with secrecy sleeves or envelopes when using paper

ballots. Be sure that the screen is concealed from election observers when using a voting machine. 

Monitor the curbside voting area to ensure electioneers are outside of the voting area, as required by law. 

May 1, 2022 v. 1.0 EAC | Helping America Vote

eac.gov clearinghouse@eac.gov @EACgov @eacgov1 @us.eac