In a determined effort to uphold the rights of voters with disabilities, the Department of Justice has recently cut a deal with several Texas counties over their election websites. Runnels County, Colorado County, Smith County, and Upton County were found by the DOJ to violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) due to web platforms that essentially excluded individuals with vision or manual disabilities. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke stated, "Voting in the 21st century requires that officials make their websites accessible to people with disabilities".

These websites are a digital gateway to critical voting information, including instructions on how to register to vote, the identification needed, and specifically, information to assist voters with disabilities. In the settlement, the counties agreed not only to quickly make changes but to also thoroughly hire an independent auditor—the auditor will evaluate the accessibility and usability for those with disabilities. Additionally, they will put into place practices to ensure all website election content is accessible in the future. "Discriminatory barriers on election websites can prevent people with disabilities from exercising their right to vote", Clarke emphasized, signaling a push for nationwide attention to this priority, per the U.S. Department of Justice.

The drive for inclusion in the digital realm is part of the department's ADA Voting Initiative, which aims to protect the voting rights of individuals with disabilities. More information about the ADA's application to the voting process can be found on the Justice Department's ADA website. This initiative coincides with the Civil Rights Division's broader Tech Equity Initiative, which targets and fights disability discrimination in the evolving landscape of technology such as websites and mobile applications.

In adherence to the agreements, the implicated counties have committed to a plan of action which includes the adoption of new policies and the establishment of proper training for their staff concerning ADA compliance. The counties are also set to actively seek feedback from the public on any potential accessibility issues via a designated employee whose task is to coordinate these efforts. These recent legal settlements serve to remind us that our democracy demands to actively include all citizens, irrespective of their physical capabilities, in the very act that defines it—the right to vote.