Elections 2024: Are Voters with Disabilities the Game Changer?

Elections 2024: Are Voters with Disabilities the Game Changer?
Elections 2024: Are Voters with Disabilities the Game Changer?

United States: As the United States witnesses both a surge in its elderly population and the continuing ramifications of long COVID, a new report from Rutgers University suggests that voters with disabilities could wield a greater influence on the forthcoming election than in any previous cycle.

The Rutgers Program for Disability Research, based in New Brunswick, emphasizes the pivotal role these voters could play, particularly in highly contested races at both state and national levels.

According to the study, New Jersey alone is home to 945,200 eligible voters with disabilities, part of a national total that now surpasses 40.2 million. Since 2020, this voting demographic has expanded by 5.1 percent in the US, marking a significant increase, according to northjersey.com.

Lisa Schur, the co-director of the Rutgers program, noted, “This bloc could undoubtedly tip the scales in close contests.”

Can Long COVID Alter the Political Landscape?

Schur attributes part of this shift to the advancing age of the baby boomer generation. Yet, the influence of long COVID, which has left many grappling with lingering health issues, has brought the topics of healthcare access and inclusivity to the forefront of the political discourse.

Douglas Kruse, Schur’s fellow co-director and spouse, added, “We’ve seen a marked increase in younger individuals reporting cognitive impairments aligned with long COVID symptoms. This uptick could resonate politically and possibly sway outcomes.”

In fact, an August federal survey found that over 5 percent of American adults are currently navigating the challenges of long COVID, defined as persistent symptoms lasting more than three months post-infection. The array of reported symptoms spans from heart palpitations and fatigue to cognitive difficulties often referred to as “brain fog,” according to the Yale School of Medicine.

Given these realities, the Rutgers study noted that approximately one in six eligible voters in the US now live with some form of disability—a growth rate that notably outpaces that of the general population, as per northjersey.com.

Health Care in the Crosshairs: Trump vs. Harris

Historically, voters with disabilities have been fractured into smaller advocacy groups, each focusing on its particular needs, whether related to mobility, cognitive challenges, or developmental conditions. However, the pandemic fostered a sense of solidarity among these communities, coalescing around core issues such as healthcare access and employment rights.

These concerns persist into the 2024 election cycle, with voters closely scrutinizing candidates’ stances on key issues.

“Preserving the Affordable Care Act remains a priority for many, especially in the face of uncertainties surrounding Medicaid and Medicare,” Schur explained.

While former President Donald Trump has repeatedly signaled intentions to repeal the Affordable Care Act, his plans for replacing it remain ambiguous. In contrast, Vice President Kamala Harris has articulated a more comprehensive agenda for addressing the needs of disabled Americans. Her platform advocates for raising the minimum wage for caregivers, expanding access to affordable housing, and ensuring the enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) across sectors such as education and healthcare. Furthermore, she has championed additional Medicare funding for home healthcare services.

Yet, despite these policy distinctions, Rutgers researchers caution against assuming that the disability voting bloc will uniformly align with one party. Kruse remarked, “In the 2018 blue wave, people with disabilities were part of the movement, but there wasn’t a huge partisan divide. However, with healthcare remaining a top concern for these voters, it may slightly favor the Democrats in 2024,” according to northjersey.com.

Demographic Shifts Among Disabled Voters

The report also highlights a gender divide within the disabled electorate. Of the 40.2 million eligible voters with disabilities nationwide, women account for 21.6 million, while men represent 18.6 million. In New Jersey, the difference is notable, with 533,900 female voters compared to 411,300 male voters.

Expanding the scope to include individuals living with someone who has a disability, the Rutgers researchers estimate the affected voting demographic grows to 72.7 million—equating to one in three eligible voters.

Viewed through this lens, the collective voting power of the disabled electorate surpasses that of both the Hispanic/Latino and Black communities in the US, underscoring its potential impact.

In critical battleground states such as Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, there are currently 7.1 million voters with disabilities—a number that could prove decisive in tight electoral races.

Challenges and Barriers to Voting Access

Despite increased participation—62 percent of voters with disabilities cast their ballots in 2020, up from 56 percent in 2016—there remain persistent barriers. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted the adoption of more accessible voting options, such as mail-in ballots, but subsequent legal changes in various states have raised concerns.

In a 2016 report, the US Government Accountability Office found that 83 percent of polling stations nationwide presented accessibility challenges for disabled voters. By 2022, despite some advancements, a post-election survey revealed that 14 percent of disabled voters encountered difficulties during the voting process, compared to only 4 percent of their non-disabled counterparts.

New voter ID laws, stricter early voting regulations, and reduced mail-in ballot options disproportionately affect individuals with disabilities. Many of these voters face logistical hurdles, such as obtaining valid identification, traveling to polling locations, or navigating complex registration systems, as reported by northjersey.com.

Additionally, outdated voting equipment often fails to accommodate voters with hearing or visual impairments, and physical obstacles at polling sites—such as inaccessible entrances and voting stations not designed to accommodate wheelchairs—remain prevalent.

Schur and Kruse stress the importance of continuing to expand voting accessibility for this growing population.

“People with disabilities are just as eager to exercise their voting rights as anyone else, as reflected in their rising participation rates,” Kruse concluded. “Given the stakes of this election, ensuring they can do so without hindrance is imperative.”