New Series Trailer: Your Voice, Your Vote!

Episode Transcript

Keith Casebonne:  Hi, I’m Keith.

Maddie Crowley:  And I’m Maddie.

Keith:  We’re the hosts of You First, the Disability Rights Florida Podcast, and we’re happy to announce our upcoming six-episode series we call, “Your Voice, Your Vote”!

Maddie:  As we approach the 2022 Elections, we want to focus in on all things disability and voting. The disability community makes up a fourth of the population, making it a very powerful voting block!

Keith:  Exactly, and even though this is a huge voting group, there are many structural and interpersonal barriers set up against them. These issues disincentive disabled voters from exercising their civil right to vote.

Maddie:  Despite these barriers, historically the disability community has been incredibly resilient and fierce voting advocates. We talk with advocates who have made accessible voting possible in Florida, organizations that fight for the disability community and other marginalized communities’ access to vote, and folks who study the impact of the disability vote.

Keith:  Here’s a quick preview of some of what they’ll have to say!

Guest 1:  I think it's really important just to note that when we're thinking about populations of people that might be registered and aren't voting and thinking about how we can just make sure that our communities are okay.

Guest 2:  I started voting in 1968 when I turned 21, which was the minimum age to vote at that point. And I think I voted every time since then. So, I have seen quite a change in voting accessibility over the years.

Guest 3:  Since the beginning of 2021, about 18 states have passed about 34 different restrictive laws that will really have an impact on people with disabilities.

Guest 4:  It was a challenge going to the voting polls and the accessible voting machines not being set up. So, when I heard about accessible voting by mail, I was really excited about that.

Guest 5:  Offer assistance to everybody, because we don't know what a person may need. A person may have invisible disabilities, they may have a disability but may not need or choose or request or want assistance.

Guest 6:  Even just have a poll worker that treats you as a human and not something that needs to be pitied, I think really could make or break somebody’s experience when they're going to vote.

Maddie:  Please join us on September 22nd for our first episode, then each Thursday after that for five more great episodes.

Keith:  Please also make sure to subscribe to the You First Podcast to be alerted when each episode drops. We’re on Apple Podcast, Spotify, YouTube, and almost anywhere you get podcasts.

Maddie:  And for more information, visit DisabilityRightsFlorida.org/Podcast. We hope you’ll join us!