July 12, 2024
State Board of Election Commissioners
501 Woodlane Street
Suite 122S
Little Rock, AR 72201
Re: Opposition to Rule Regarding Voter Registration (“wet signature” requirement)
Commissioners,
Disability Rights Arkansas (DRA) is the Protection and Advocacy Organization for the rights of people with disabilities in the state and we are commenting to express our opposition to the Rule Regarding Voter Registration which creates a “wet signature” requirement. This rule specifically defines a signature on a registration form under the law as “a handwritten signature or handwritten wet mark made on a Registration Application Form with a pen or other writing device that is physically moved across the form…”, it goes on to state that any signature or mark generated or recreated by a computer is not acceptable and does not meet legal requirements for voter registration.
This policy is an unnecessary barrier for Arkansas voters with disabilities. By insisting on adhering to a pen-and-paper system instead of fully modernizing the registration process this rule removes several tools which voters with disabilities could otherwise use to exercise their right to vote. Voters with mobility issues who are not able to travel to obtain or deliver registration forms could complete and submit the forms online. Voters without the use of their hands could complete and sign the form using speech-to-text programs. Blind and low-vision voters could make use of screen reader software and magnification tools. Voters with acquired or progressive disabilities might experience drastic changes to their signatures which could impair signature matching. These and other tools have been developed to allow equal access for people with disabilities, and this rule would slam the door shut on all of them when it comes to voter registration. The ability to register and cast your vote is foundational for citizens of this country; instead of making that right more readily accessible for everyone, this rule would make voter registration harder for many Arkansans with disabilities.
DRA is also not clear on the reasoning behind this rule. If the state, which is consistently ranked at or near the bottom in terms of voter registration and turnout nationwide, is going to adopt rules which add barriers to registration, then there should be a clear and compelling reason and rationale behind it. There is no evidence of any fraud resulting from the limited use of electronic signatures for registration in Arkansas. If we expand our view, in the 42 other states which have allowed full online voter registration there have been no security breaches or widespread fraud. In fact, study after study over the last two decades has shown that online voter registration in the states which allow it has led to increased voter registration and turnout, more accurate voter rolls, and reduced workload for election officials.
Where is the compelling need for this rule? Apparently, the need is so great that not only was the rule put into place as an emergency rule, but it is worth potentially disenfranchising the hundreds of
Arkansans who, in good faith, already registered using electronic signatures, relying on the initial guidance Get Loud Arkansas received from the Secretary of State’s office. What makes this rule necessary, and not simply a solution in search of a problem?
Ideally, Arkansas would move toward expanding online voter registration instead of placing more hurdles in the path of those who wish to vote. Disability exists in every level of society in Arkansas, rich or poor, black or white, Republican or Democrat, anyone can have their lives affected by disability. For the disability community, this is not a political issue, it’s about having the same opportunity to exercise their rights as anyone else. People with disabilities are your friends, family members, veterans, or just people you pass in the store trying to live their lives. An important difference is that often they are the ones who are most directly affected by the decisions made by their elected officials. Benefits programs, public transit decisions, healthcare regulations, and a hundred other things determined at different levels of government have a real and meaningful impact on a person with a disability’s ability to live independently. You, as the State Board of Election Commissioners, should not institute rules which limit the tools they can use to make their voices heard within their community. Frankly, with Arkansas voter turnout in the state that it is, this body should be doing everything they can to make it as simple and painless as possible for every citizen to register and vote.
Sincerely,
Christian Adcock
Voting Rights and Public Policy Specialist
Disability Rights Arkansas
400 West Capitol Avenue, Suite 1200
Little Rock, AR 72201