Office of Elections

Fairfax County, VA

 

Election Services for Persons with Disabilities

 

Every citizen has the right to vote regardless of whether he or she is affected by a disability. The Fairfax County Office of Elections is dedicated to providing accessible voting to all registered voters. For questions related to any of the information provided below, please contact:

 

Fairfax County Office of Elections

12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 323, Fairfax, VA 22035

Voter Registration Telephone: 703-222-0776, Fax: 703-324-2205, Email: mailto:voting@fairfaxcounty.gov

Polling Place Operations Telephone: 703-324-4735, Fax: 703-324-4706, Email: mailto:elect@fairfaxcounty.gov

TTY: 711 (Virginia Relay)

Website: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/eb

 

Voter Registration

  • All eligible Virginia residents may register to vote by mail. The Virginia voter registration application may be downloaded. Or, you can call or email the Office of Elections to request that an application form be mailed to you.
  • You can also pick up an application at all Fairfax County post offices, senior centers, community centers, schools, and most County office buildings.

 

Voting at the Polls on Election Day

  • All polling places are wheelchair accessible.
  • Every polling place is equipped with touch screen voting machines, also known as direct recording electronic (DRE) machines. These touch screen machines are designed to provide voters with disabilities the ability to cast their votes unassisted.
  • The light-weight, touch screen voting machines can be removed from the booth to accommodate disabled voters or those unable to stand or reach the machine in the booth.
  • Each touch screen voting machine is equipped with an audio headset that enables voters with visual impairments to cast a secret ballot without assistance.
  • Voters who cannot enter the polling place because of physical limitations have the option of voting curbside, using either the touch screen voting machine, or by paper ballot.  They should send someone in to the polls on their behalf to ask an election officer to bring a voting machine or paper ballot out to the car.
  • Each polling place has a magnifying device available for voters who may have difficulty reading the paper or touch screen ballot. The touch screen voting machines are also equipped with a “zoom” function which allows the voter to view a larger presentation of the ballot.
  • The availability of accessible voting equipment does not obligate a voter to use the equipment. Any voter who needs assistance in casting a ballot because of physical or educational disabilities is entitled to request assistance. The voter may bring an assistant with him or her into the voting booth, or ask an election official to assist.

 

Absentee Voting

  • Any registered voter who is unable to go to the polls on Election Day because of a disability or illness may request an application to vote an absentee ballot by mail.
  • Voters who are unable to go to the polls on Election Day because of a disability or illness and are likely to remain disabled or ill for the remainder of the calendar year can request an annual absentee application form rather than completing one application for each election.
  • Both absentee ballot application forms can be downloaded. Or, you can call or email the Office of Elections to request that either application form be mailed to you.
  • All application requests to vote by absentee ballot by mail must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Tuesday before the election.
  • In person absentee voting is available in our office during office hours and during extended hours, as scheduled through 5:00 p.m. on the Saturday before the election. Prior to the November General and Special Elections, we offer in-person absentee voting at various satellite voting locations throughout the county. Please visit our Absentee Voting page for specific dates and time.

 

Additionally, the County utilizes a TTY service, 711 (Virginia Relay), which is available to receive calls from citizens with hearing impairments.

 

Accessibility problems encountered at a polling place should be reported to the Fairfax County Office of Elections so that we can work to correct them. Please see our contact information above.