This story was originally published by CBS News Detroit.

Longtime League leader and voting rights advocate Mildred Madison passed away at the age of 97.

Our history is replete with people with disabilities who paved the way for a stronger, more representative democracy — like Judy Heumann, Sojourner Truth, Senator Tammy Duckworth, Claudia Gordan, Harriet Tubman, Joyce Ardell Jackson, and Vilissa Thompson, to name a few. 

Yet we also know that anti-voter laws and regulations disproportionately impact people with disabilities, and the fight to make the vote more accessible is ongoing. 

In this blog, we’ll highlight some of our favorite voting rights activists who were also women with disabilities. Then, we’ll examine how ability and voting rights intersect today. 

Secret ballots are critical to democratic participation because they ensure people’s safety and privacy in voting.

Threats to the secret ballot have largely flown under the radar, but in 2021, 29 states introduced such audit bills. As defenders of democracy, it’s critical that we oppose any policies that limit voter participation and access.

This opinion was originally published in The Fulcrum.

LWVUS CEO Virginia Kase Solomón discusses women's equality in a post-Dobbs world and our #WID23 campaign.