NIST Seeks Public Comment on Recommendations for Promoting Access to Voting for People with Disabilities

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) requests public comments on the Draft of Promoting Access to Voting: Recommendations for Addressing Barriers to Private and Independent Voting for People with Disabilities. Under Executive Order 14019 on Promoting Access to Voting, NIST is directed to identify barriers to private and independent voting for people with disabilities, make recommendations to remove these barriers, and evaluate the steps needed to ensure that the online Federal Voter Registration Form is accessible to people with disabilities. The Draft is available in the Federal Register.

The Draft was developed by NIST using information collected through the Request for Information that was published in the Federal Register on June 16, 2021, reviews of reports, papers and other literature, and engagement with stakeholder organizations and election officials. NIST is seeking comment on the Draft from persons with disabilities, disability advocacy groups, assistive technology vendors and professionals, non-partisan voting promotion groups, voting technology vendors, election officials, and other stakeholders.

Public comments must be received by 5:00 p.m. (ET) on November 22, 2021. Comments may be submitted at www.regulations.gov under NIST-2021-0005-0001 or by email at pva-eo@list.nist.gov. Complete instructions for comment submission can be found in the Federal Register notice. For questions about this request for public comment, contact Kevin Mangold, NIST, by phone at 1-301-975-5628 or email Kevin.Mangold@nist.gov. Users of telecommunication devices for the deaf, or a text telephone, may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.