Eastern Iowa Autism Spectrum Voters Guide:Opening up the Voting Process to those on the Autism Spectrum

OPENING UP THE VOTING PROCESS TO THOSE ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM

Who Can Vote in Iowa?

Register to Vote In Iowa

Get the Facts

The Candidates

Top Issues in the News

Autism Resources

Important Terms

Acknowledgements

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Table of Contents

SEPT 29 TO NOV 7In-person absentee voting availableOCT 29Voter registration deadline (via mail or on the web -Iowa- DOT)

NOV 4Application deadline to receive mail ballotNOV 8Election DaySame day voter registration at the polls

IMPORTANT DATES:

Only Registered Voters Can Vote

You can register to vote if:

- You are a citizen of the United States

- You are a resident of Iowa

- You are at least 17 1/2 years old (must be 18 to vote)

You can not register:

-If you are a convicted felon (and your voting rights have not been restored)-If you claim the right to vote in any

other place

-If a court has determined you are “mentally incompetent to vote”

Having ASD or a court –appointed guardian doesn't automatically take away your right to vote

Not sure if you have registered or your registration is up to date?

-Look up your registration status—Iowa Secretary of State’s Look up Page: https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/voterreg/regtovote/search.aspx

-Call: 1-866-OUR-VOTE

- Look up registration status— League of Women Voters : http://www.vote411.org/

Voting in Iowa: 3 Steps 1) Register

2) Get the Facts

3) Vote

Who Can Vote in Iowa?

P A G E 3

Register to vote in Iowa:

Voter Registration by Mail: to register by mail, fill out an Iowa voter registration application and send it to your county auditor. A list of county auditors by county can be found via the following link: https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/auditors/auditorslist.html

Voter Registration online: to register to vote online you will need the to reference your drivers license or state ID number. An Iowa registered voter CAN NOT vote online at this time.

See Link for details on how to register online through the Iowa Department of Transportation and video tutorial: https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/voterinformation/voterregistration.html

Download and print Iowa Voter registration applications easily from one of these websites:

Iowa Secretary of State:

https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/voterinformation/voterregistration.html

Iowa Election Center:

https://www.vote.org/state/iowa/

League of Women Voters of Iowa:

http://www.lwvia.org/voting-in-iowa

http://www.vote411.org/

Rock the Vote Iowa Elections:

http://www.rockthevote.com/get-informed/elections/state/iowa.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/

Election Day Registration

Registering at the Polls on Election Day– November 8, 2016 -Voters will need to show proof of identification and residency. ID must have a expiration date and can not be expired. -If photo ID does not include current address, must show proof of residency with another document that shows voter’s name and address in precinct.

-If voter does not have documents to prove identity or residency, the voter may have another registered voter in the same precinct attest to the voter’s identity and residency.

-For more details see Iowa Secretary of State’s website: https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/voterinformation/edr.html

P A G E 4

Registering to Vote in Iowa

IOWA STUDENT VOTING GUIDE

http://campusvoteproject.org/iowa/

Forms of Photo ID

Iowa driver’s license

State of Iowa ID

US Passport

US Employer or Military Card

Iowa Student ID

Out of state driver’s license

Out of state—State ID

Proof of Residency Documents

Residential lease

Property tax statement

Utility bill

Bank statement

Paycheck

Government check

Other government documents

Locate your Polling Place

When you register to vote, you may receive a voter registration card which will have the name and address of your polling place. Specific links to assist in determining your precinct polling location are found below under Poll Location.

The Candidates: Good sources for information on the candidates can be found via the internet, social media, television, radio, and news-papers. You can also communicate with candidates about the issues that you find important. For tips on how to communicate with the candi-dates and legislators– See ID Action Advocacy Toolkit: http://www.idaction.org/newsletters/iowa-advocacy-connection/iowa-advocacy-connection-2015-issue-4/.

The Issues: Use mail, email, social media to let the candidates and community members know your thoughts, ideas and perspectives. Find out about the candidates and the issues.

Staying informed can often seem to be a monumental task. The Eastern Iowa Voters Manual team realizes this can be challenging and has com-plied a list resources that report on the top issues concerning the Autism Spectrum community and current topics (see pages 4, 5 and 6 of this manual).

Find out About the Candidates The following resources help voters compare

candidates on the issues. Some allow you to print or email notes and information about the candidate that you can take to the polls on paper or your electronic device. Each resource shares disclosures.

Des Moines Register: http://data.desmoinesregister.com/compare-candidates/ ISIDEWITH.COM: https://www.isidewith.com/ Head Count: Has a list of over 18 sites, APPS, and social media resources that compare

the candidates: https://www.headcount.org/issues-and-candidates/ League of Women Voters: http://www.vote411.org/ballot ProCon.org: http://2016election.procon.org/view.source-summary-chart.php Project Vote Smart: http://votesmart.org/ US Elections: http://www.uselections.com/ia/ia.htm Vote IA http://vote-ia.org/Election.aspx?State=IA&Election=IA20161108GA

P A G E 5

Find your Precinct Polling Place

https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/

voterreg/pollingplace/

search.aspx

General Elections Nov 8: Polls are open from 7am-9pm statewide

For all other elections contact county auditor.

Link to find your county auditor's office in the Iowa & for further ques-tions on polling location and satel-lite voting See Link:

https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/

auditors/auditorslist.html

The Candidates

Get the Facts “Autism Spectrum Issues Matter to ME and I . . . .”

Poll Location

Listed below are topics that have been in the news headlines related to Autism Spectrum issues that voters can find out more about and explore. The ASD Voters Manual team has also put together a list of resources where you can look up the topics that are important to you as a voter (see Page 5 & 6 of this manual ).

P A G E 6

Top Issues in the News: Autism Spectrum

and Developmental Disabilities

Iowa’s Strategic Plan (2016-2021): To Improve Services and Supports for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their Families

Activities outlined in the Plan:

-Increasing ASD Awareness

-Increase access to high quality services throughout

the lifespan

-Increase timely access to services

-Support for individuals on the ASD spectrum, their families and caregivers

For more information on this plan see the Regional Autism Assistance Program’s Website (click on Expert Panel)

http://www.chsciowa.org/regional-autism-assistance-program.asp

Autism Spectrum Issues in the News

-Advocacy and Self—Advocacy

-Access to Healthcare/Medical Insurance Coverage

-Adult Issues— Overall huge gaps in service options

-Affordable/Accessible Housing

- Increase Employment Opportunities

-Access to Post-Secondary Education

-Community Integration

-Peer Mentors

-Diversity

-Under-representation of people of color for evaluation, treatment, support & in research

-Education

-Access reasonable accommodations

-Transition Planning

-Inclusion

-Financial

-ABLE account

-Access to Medicaid Waivers (waitlist)

-Limited Insurance Coverage

-Social Security

-Increased need for access to screening/diagnosis &

therapies/treatment/services

- Legal Protections

-Mental Health support for individuals on the Autism Spectrum

-Research

- Overlapping & more emphasis needed on treat-ments, therapies and supports

-Safety

-Bullying

-Safe practices when addressing challenging be-haviors

-Training for Law-Enforcement/First Responders

-Wandering

-Support for parents, families and caregivers

-Use of Evidenced Base Practices

Iowa Autism Council This group offers advice, consultation and recommendations to the governor and legislators.

For More information on the Iowa Autism Council see the following link:

https://www.educateiowa.gov/pk-12/special-education/state-requirements-reports/iowa-autism-council

National

- Advancing Futures for Adults with Autism: http://www.afaa-us.org/about

- Asperger Experts: https://www.aspergerexperts.com/

- Autism Now: http://autismnow.org/

- Autism Speaks: Legal Resource Center: https://www.autismspeaks.org/legal-resource-center

Blog: http://www.autismpolicyblog.com/2013/06/autism-speaks-legal-resource-center.html

- Autism Society of America: http://www.autism-society.org/

- Autistic Self-Advocacy Network: http://autisticadvocacy.org/

- Center for Disease Control and Prevention- Autism Link: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/index.html

- National Institutes of Health- Autism Centers of Excellence: https://www.nichd.nih.gov/research/supported/Pages/ace.aspx

- The Color of Autism Foundation: http://www.thecolorofautism.org/

-Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism: http://www.thinkingautismguide.com/

State and Regional (Eastern Iowa)

- Autism Society of Iowa: http://autismia.com/

-The Autism Society of Iowa has a wonderful up to date list of support groups across the state of Iowa and includes many social media contacts that are great resources regarding local and

regional needs. See Link: http://autismia.com/support-groups/

- Iowa Child Health Connections: http://www.iowachildhealthconnections.com/

- National Alliance on Mental Illness – Iowa: http://namiiowa.org/

- Regional Autism Assistance Program:

http://www.chsciowa.org/regional-autism-assistance-program.asp

- University of Iowa’s Children’s Hospital Autism Center: http://www.uichildrens.org/autism/

Autism Spectrum Resources

P A G E 7

Resources for Iowans with Disabilities & Family Members:

-The ARC of Iowa: with links to local chapters: http://www.thearcofiowa.org/

- ASK Family Resource Center: http://askresource.org/

- Disability Rights Iowa: http://disabilityrightsiowa.org/

- Epilepsy Foundation of Iowa: http://www.epilepsyiowa.org/

- Iowa Area Education Agencies: http://www.iowaaea.org/

- Iowa COMPASS: Disability Resource Database: http://search.iowacompass.org/

- Iowa Department of Education - Autism Spectrum Disorder: https://www.educateiowa.gov/pk-

12/special-education/special-education-programs-services/autism

- Iowans with Disabilities in Action: http://www.idaction.org/

* A complete list of quick references from the Iowa Disabilities Council is available for download at the following link:

http://iddcouncil.idaction.org/documents/cms/docs/Publications/Quick_Reference_List_Aug2016.pdf

Voting:

- Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law:

http://www.bazelon.org/Where-We-Stand/Self-Determination/Voting.aspx

- Iowa Secretary of State– Voting with Disabilities: https://sos.iowa.gov/disabilities.html#ballot

- The Respect Ability Report: http://therespectabilityreport.org/

- United States Election Assistance Commission: http://www.eac.gov/default.aspx

-Third Party and Independent: http://2016.independent-candidate.org/

Other Autism Spectrum and Developmental Disabilities Links:

-disabilityscoop– Developmental Disabilities News: https://www.disabilityscoop.com/

- Disability Thinking—Disability Life, Ideas, Identity, Culture, Commentary, and Politics:

http://disabilitythinking.com/election-2016-cripthevote

- Huff Post: Autism: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/autism/

-The Mighty: We face disabilities, disease, mental illness together: https://themighty.com/

P A G E 8

Find Out About The Issues: Other Resources

Absentee Voting: If you would prefer to not vote at your polling location in person, you can vote prior to the

election via Absentee ballot. You must request an Absentee ballot by contacting your county auditor or by going to the Iowa Secretary of State’s website where you can download application. After printing and completing application, you will need to return the Absentee ballot application to the county auditor’s office in your county.

A list of county auditors by county can be found via the following link: https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/auditors/auditorslist.html

Iowa Secretary of State: Absentee Ballot request and video tutorial overviewing Absentee Voting: https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/electioninfo/absenteeinfo.html

Early Voting/Absentee Voting in Person: Each county auditor offers early voting before the elections in

person at the county auditor’s office during regular business hours. For more information on early voting see Iowa Secretary of State’s website for more details: https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/electioninfo/absenteeinperson.html

Satellite Absentee Voting: Many county auditors set up other voting stations called “satellites” before election

day in public places such as libraries. To check if a satellite voting location is planned for your area check with your county auditor’s office. For more details see the Iowa Secretary of State’s website: https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/electioninfo/satellite.html

Curb Side Voting If you are unable to enter the building where the polling place is located because of disability,

two precinct election officials, one from each party, will take a ballot and election supplies outside to the voter. The voter may then mark the ballot in the voter’s vehicle. The voter must sign the Affidavit of Voter Requesting Assistance.

It is not required, but would be helpful to contact the county auditor’s office, to let them know that you will be voting curbside. If you for some reason are not able to contact the county auditor’s office, then bring a person with you in the car to the polls so they can go in and let the poll workers know that someone is in the car and looking to cast their bal-lot via curbside voting. However, it is highly recommended that one call the county auditor’s office prior to arriving so that poll workers are prepared as Curb Side voting is relatively new in Iowa.

P A G E 9

Voting in Iowa

Not Sure what to Expect at the Polls in Iowa

Watch a video of the voting process in Iowa. The video will give you a good idea of what to expect when voting in person at the polls in Iowa. Your poll-ing station may not look exactly the same as the poll-ing location in the video.

ID Action Video Link: http://www.idaction.org/vote/election-day-in-iowa-video/

Voting Assistance

Some voters may need assistance at the polls or a Vot-ing Assistant to complete the voting process. See the following links for more details on accommodations for voting.

Rooted in Rights: Voting with an Assistant Video: http://www.rootedinrights.org/videos/voting/

Disability Rights Iowa: http://disabilityrightsiowa.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Accommodations-at-the-Polling-Place-4-1-14.pdf

ID Action—Voting Rights for Iowans http://www.idaction.org/documents/resources/46.pdf

Election Day– Voting at the Polls: All of the poll locations in Iowa will be open from 7am-9am on November

8, 2016 and for all Primary and General elections.

Steps to Voting in Person at the Polls

-Locate the poll location where you will vote (see Page 3 of this manual for tips on how to find out where you vote).

-Upon arrival to the polling location, look for signs to direct you to place where you line up. Many poll stations have signs that say “Vote” or “Vote Here”.

-Wait in line and when it is your turn, check in with the poll worker. Tell the poll worker your name or ask to register.

-The Poll Worker will check you in, direct you to the location where you will vote and tell you where to put your ballot when you are finished voting.

-Helpful tips on voting can be found under the FAQ page of the Iowa Secretary of State’s web page; including an-swers to questions like “What if I make a mistake on my ballot?” or “Do I have to vote for every race?” See Link: https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/voterinformation/edfaq.html#15

-Each polling place can look different in Iowa and have different types of voting routines. If you have questions about your particular voting place, you could call your county auditor’s office to inquire about details, ask about times of day when the polls are less busy or to talk about accommodations that will assist you in the voting process. A list of voting accommodations in Iowa can be found via the following link and on the last two pages of this manual.

Disability Rights Iowa: http://disabilityrightsiowa.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Accommodations-at-the-Polling-Place-4-1-14.pdf

P A G E 1 0

Voting in Iowa

Expected

-Greeting others and talking quietly to people while waiting in line to vote.

-Greeting poll workers and thanking them for their help.

-If you are feeling fatigued or anxious, you can request to move ahead in the line or you can ask for a chair to sit in while you are waiting in line to vote.

-If you need help, you can ask a poll worker for assis-tance. Or you can request a Poll Assistant (See page 6 of this voting manual for details).

Unexpected

-Asking other voters who they voted for while voting

at the polls.

-Telling others who you are voting for and why

while at the polls.

-Asking other people who you should vote for while

at the polls.

-Not asking the poll workers for help when you have

questions.

Some Expected and Unexpected Social Guidelines to Consider

When Voting in Person at the Polls

Important Terms Bipartisan:

Involving the agreement or cooperation of two parties that usually opposes each other’s policies.

Conservative:

Often called the “political right,” used to describe someone who believes in less government and fewer government programs, holds traditional views and values, and historically prefers slower and more cautious change.

Democratic Party:

One of two major political parties in the United States and the nation’s oldest existing party. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the governing body for the Democratic Party, www.dnc.org.

Independent:

Independent Voter: Often called an unaffiliated voter in the United States, is a voter who does not align with a political party.

Independent Politician: is an individual politician not affiliated to any political party.

Liberal:

Often called the “political left,” this describes someone who supports government programs to provide services (such as health care), believes in a large government, favors monitoring business, and thinks protecting civil and individual rights is important.

Moderate:

A political moderate is an individual who generally holds the middle position between conservative and liberal.

Nonpartisan:

Not allied with any one political party’s agenda.

Partisan:

A strong supporter of one political party’s agenda.

Republican Party:

One of two major political parties in the United States; often called GOP, which stands for Grand Old Party. The Re-

publican National Committee is the governing body of the Republican Party, www.rnc.org.

Third Party:

In the United States the term is used for any and all political parties other than one of the two major parties.

P A G E 11

Reproducing This Guide

The Eastern Iowa Autism Spectrum Voters Guide: Opening up the Voting Process to Those on the Autism Spectrum is reproducible in its’ entirety. A PDF Version of this guide is available on the Tanager Place

Web Site: http://www.tanagerplace.org/treatment/autism-spectrum-disorders/

Eastern Iowa Autism Spectrum Voters Guide:

Opening up the Voting Process to those on the Autism Spectrum

Compiled by:

Joel Shrader - Asperger Self-Advocate

Mike Dierdorff - Autism Self-Advocate

Barb Trujillo - Parent and Founder CARE EXPO

Heather E. Hanzlick-Jaacks– Family Member and ASD Consultant with Tanager Place

Funding provided by ID Action 2016 Voter Grant: www.idaction.org

Acknowledgements: Heather Adams: CARE EXPO—for donation of snacks/beverages for the presentation Granger House, Marion Iowa - for supplying meeting space during the project

With Contributions from: Leah Parker– Autistic Advocate Barbara Kane– Parent and Family Navigator with RAP Meridith Myers, President of CARE EXPO and Tanager Place, PIH Care Coordinator Rik Shannon– ID Action