<P> Federal legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA, or "Motor - Voter Act") and the Help America Vote Act of 2001 (HAVA) help to address some of the concerns of disabled and non-English speaking voters in the United States . </P> <P> Some studies have shown that polling places are inaccessible to disabled voters . The Federal Election Commission reported that, in violation of state and federal laws, more than 20,000 polling places across the nation are inaccessible, depriving people with disabilities of their fundamental right to vote . </P> <P> In 1999, the Attorney General of the State of New York ran a check of polling places around the state to see if they were accessible to voters with disabilities and found many problems . A study of three upstate counties of New York found fewer than 10 percent of polling places fully compliant with state and federal laws . </P> <P> Many polling booths are set in church basements or in upstairs meeting halls where there are no ramps or elevators . This means problems not just for people who use wheelchairs, but for people using canes or walkers too . And in most states people who are blind do not have access to Braille ballot to vote; they have to bring someone along to vote for them . Studies have shown that people with disabilities are more interested in government and public affairs than most and are more eager to participate in the democratic process . Many election officials urge people with disabilities to vote absentee, however some disabled individuals see this as an inferior form of participation . </P>

Who had the right to vote when the constitution was first written