Harris County faces a lawsuit claiming its current voting system is not accessible for people with disabilities, especially those with reading and writing challenges.
Who is involved?
Plaintiffs: Cedric Bryant, Ted Galanos, Louis Maher, Michael McCullouch, and the National Federation of the Blind of Texas (NFBTX).
Attorneys for Plaintiffs: Disability Rights Texas and Brown Goldstein & Levy law firm.
Defendants: Teneshia Hudspeth in her official capacity as County Clerk of Harris County, Texas and Harris County.
What is the lawsuit about?
The plaintiffs say Harris County’s vote-by-mail program is inaccessible to voters with print disabilities (those who have difficulty reading or handling printed materials) because the county only offers paper ballots for mail voting. Thus, making it hard to cast ballots privately and independently.
The plaintiffs want an accessible electronic vote-by-mail system that would allow voters with print disabilities to use assistive technology to read and mark ballots on their own.
The lawsuit points out that Harris County already provides electronic ballots to military, overseas voters, and even astronauts in space, but does not extend this option to voters with print disabilities.
When and where was it filed?
The lawsuit was filed on February 3, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division.
Why was it filed?
The plaintiffs say Harris County’s vote-by-mail program makes it very hard or even impossible for people with print disabilities to vote privately and independently. This violates Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
According to the lawsuit, the Disability Rights Texas and others have requested that Harris County implement an accessible electronic vote-by-mail system, but court documents say the county refuses to provide this option.
How do people with disabilities vote today?
The Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities says voters with disabilities have a legal right to assistance when registering to vote and casting ballots.
If you need help voting at a polling location:
The Texas Election Code Section 64.031 allows voters to ask a person of their choice or a poll worker for assistance. The code does not require voters to provide proof of their disability to receive help.
If you need help entering a polling location, you can ask your helper to meet you either at the entrance or at your parked car curbside with your ballot. When you are ready to vote, your helper will collect your slip and put it in the ballot box for you.
If you plan to vote alone but need assistance, it’s highly recommended to call the polling location ahead of time to let workers know you’ll need help.
For more information on voting laws and accessibility for people with disabilities, click here.
If you want to vote by mail, you must be:
Sick or have a disability.
65 years or older.
Out of the country on Election Day and during in-person early voting.
Expected to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day.
In jail with eligibility to vote.
To learn more on how to fill out, print, and send your ballot by mail, click here.
KPRC 2 News has reached out to Harris County and County Clerk, Teneshia Hudspeth, to get their response to the lawsuit. We will update this article when we get a response from them.
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