“This is a group of people who don’t have as many resources available to them to learn what to expect day of, how to register, the ways that we can vote, and why they’re important.”
Samantha Brigham is Development Director for the MOKA Foundation, a nonprofit behavioral health organization supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She says MOKA offers a one-day election training program that empowers voters with disabilities to take part in the democratic process.
“This is going to be an opportunity for people to learn about the voting process, what resources are available to them, and then how to stay engaged in community beyond election day as well.”
According to MOKA, 45% of people with disabilities in Michigan have never voted. That’s 7% lower than the national average.
Brigham says every voter’s voice, regardless of ability, deserves to be heard.
“This is going to be a welcoming space. We have a lot of experts in the room, both with experience facilitating for the disability community as wells as people from the state who can come talk to us about the election.”
A link to register for the program can be found here.
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