WI judge rules paper absentee ballots discriminate against disabled voters

A Wisconsin judge ruled Tuesday that the state’s absentee voting system discriminates against disabled voters by denying them the ability to cast ballots privately and independently, but the ruling did not order election officials to offer electronic absentee ballots before the midterm elections.

The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed in 2024 by Disability Rights Wisconsin, the League of Women Voters, and four disabled voters, who argued that the lack of an electronic absentee voting option violates the Americans with Disabilities Act by denying disabled voters the ability to vote independently and privately.