REV UP Vermont

08/30/2026

Paid, disability pride internships for Vermonters 12-22!

Because fighting for voting rights and access starts with pride.

VCIL is excited to announce our fall offerings for disabled youth through Vermont Pathways to Partnerships.

Civil Writes is our paid, disability pride internship for ages 12-22.

Find your power, your people, and your story. Join VCIL's 10-week internship!

Meet weekly on Zoom with peers to learn about disability civil rights through stories, current events, and personal experiences.

Earn $600 while learning and making friends.

Sign up for Civil Writes and more at: https://linktr.ee/vcil

08/03/2026

"Our democracy only works when people participate and this is all the way down to the most local decisions, such as school budgets and town budgets and voting on your selectboard and school board members. Voting on these issues is a fundamental civil right and where you live in Vermont shouldn't determine whether or not you get to exercise it."

- Aly Richards
Democratic Primary Candidate for Vermont Governor
More Info: Aly for Vermont

08/02/2026

You asked, and the gubernatorial candidates answered!

Aly for Vermont has an updated platform making it clear where she stands on access to voting for disabled Vermonters!

When it comes to democracy, universal Australian ballot is universal design and access.

[Alt text: A website screenshot. "Make sure every Vermonter’s voice is heard. Democracy only works when people participate. As Governor, I will protect access to the ballot box, defend the right to peaceful protest, and make sure Vermonters have the information and education they need to know their rights and use them. That includes the votes closest to home: I will support a universal Australian ballot for every election, including our local ones. We can expand ballot access for every Vermonter while preserving the time for neighbors to come together to discuss, debate, and shape their town’s future before ballots are cast. And I will make sure every town has what it needs to do both well."]

07/27/2026

“You people are full of s**t.”

Part of the problem in Vermont is that local elections can currently be done in seven different ways.

People incorrectly assume that the way they vote is how everyone votes.

It is not.

Most people who have the right to vote by Australian ballot in local elections (which just means a secret paper ballot which is how all of Vermont votes for all federal and statewide elections), assume disabled people are lying when we say we can’t vote.

Without Australian ballot, there is no possibility of early voting, justice of the peace delivered voting, curbside voting, or absentee ballots.

The only option is floor vote where the entire town has to vote together in person, all at once, during an hours long meeting (usually on a Tuesday morning in a building that could never fit the entire town).

Some people live in towns where they have floor vote for budgets, but not selectboard members.

Some people live in towns where they have floor votes for selectboard members, but school budgets and board members are ballot.

And some people cannot vote for anything at all unless they are able to sit in a packed gym for hours as people shout out their votes.

We’re not full of s**t.

We just want to vote the way you vote.

But don’t take our word for it. Here’s a voting methods by town chart created by the Vermont Secretary of State’s office: www.tinyurl.com/howdoesmytownvote

[Picture ID: screenshot of comments left on on page with name covered in black ink. “You people are full of s**t.” REV UP reply: “Which people and why?” Original commenter: “Have you ever heard of an absentee ballot? It works like this. A person, disabled or abled, requests a ballot, gets it, completes it, mails it in.”]

07/26/2026

Today we celebrate the 36th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

For many disabled Vermonters, that's 36 years of broken promises when it comes to Title II access to vote and participate in our local governments.

We are repeatedly told by our state elected officials to be patient.

To give our leaders grace.

To try asking more nicely.

That change takes time.

Recently, our Vermont Secretary of State even equated our requests for our civil rights under the ADA with us asking to "burn the place down". Simply because we want to vote.

Please let us know when we will be allowed to vote for our town selectboard members, tax dollars, and school board members.

We'd like to mark that on our calendars.

[Picture ID: a black outline of the map of Vermont. Text "36 years of broken promises. Many disabled Vermonters are still being denied the right the vote.]

07/25/2026

Yeah we agree Vermont Secretary of State!

So why did you refuse to make recommendations to the legislature about this when you authored the Act 133 report to the legislature?!

Because as you well know, survivors cannot currently safely vote in 68% of towns for their municipal and school elections.

It's a shame that you couldn't join ACLU-Vermont, Human Rights Commission, Vermont, Vermont Center for Independent Living, League of Women Voters of Vermont, Vermont Legal Aid, and Disability Rights Vermont in standing up for voting rights outside of election season.

Instead, they had to write a dissenting opinion to your report.

VT Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and disabled Vermonters deserve year-round voting rights, not just during a campaign.

07/22/2026

“If you can’t go to the polls on election day, just vote early, absentee, or have a justice of the peace bring your ballot to you.”

We hear this a lot from people around the state, including from town clerks and even elected officials when we talk about voter suppression.

Most people are unaware that there is no ballot option to vote in local elections in 68% of towns around Vermont!

That means that you cannot vote curbside, absentee, early, or with a Justice of the Peace.

If you live in a city or larger town, you are likely able to vote for your city council members/selectboard members, town clerk, school board members, and town and school budgets by marking a paper ballot. (But this can always change under current state law and you can lose the ability to vote by paper ballot.)

This is called an Australian ballot.

And it is the gold standard for accessibility for all.

We believe that any Vermonter- no matter where you live in the state- should have the right to vote.

[Image Description: A cat holding up a rainbow colored “The More You Know” sign.]

07/21/2026

And if you’re looking for concrete ways to throw some affection our way, voting access is our love language!

Jimothy is taking Seattle, and the world, by storm. He's the Disability Pride Month icon we didn't know we needed.

While we love the energy y'all have for this lil' disabled raccoon, we also feel the need to point out: this kind of love and acceptance is exactly what disabled people have been asking for, for far too long.

We love the love you're all showing Jimothy! Now, go do the same for disabled people.

ID: An image with a purple and pink gradient background that is vaguely space-themed, has meme-style text that highlights how iconic Jimothy the disabled raccoon is, and asks people to show disabled humans the same love they show disabled animals.

07/13/2026

REV UP hat spotted in the wild!

Thank you to hat wearer Vermont Center for Independent Living executive director Sarah Launderville for her comments at Mad Pride about the importance and civil rights of disabled Vermonters to live in community!

This includes the right to fully participate in all aspects of community life.

The right to vote for our local budgets and elected officials is a civil right.

These rights were hard fought for and won. Never freely given.

And we can’t stop fighting.

07/07/2026

Calling all partner organizations, election officials, and candidates running for office!

Are you an accessible democracy defender?

We invite you to host a community event for Disability Voting Rights Week with us on September 14 - 18, 2026.

The event can be virtual or hybrid, and include a voter registration drive, community conversation, training, or celebration.

Fill out this form to get a partner toolkit and a box of REV Up swag from American Association of People with Disabilities.

We can’t wait to work together to make voting and democracy in Vermont accessible!

Disability Rights Vermont, Vermont Center for Independent Living, Vermont Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Human Rights Commission, Vermont, Vermont Legal Aid, ACLU-Vermont, League of Women Voters of Vermont, Green Mountain Self-Advocates, MadFreedom Advocates

Fill out this form to get access to the Disability Voting Rights Week (DVRW) Partner Toolkit! The toolkit includes social media graphics with image descriptions, messaging, event guidance, sample press releases and more. By submitting this form, you'll also be added to our REV UPdates newsletter and...