A Wisconsin judge has ruled that absentee ballots are discriminatory, possibly opening the door for people with disabilities to vote electronically.

Dane County Circuit Court| Judge Everett Mitchell ruled in favor of Wisconsin Disability Rights and the League of Women Voters, who were suing the Wisconsin Election Commission (WEC), claiming that absentee ballots were discriminatory against people with print disabilities. He found that people who had difficulty seeing, reading, or completing their printed ballots were being denied “the equal opportunity to vote absentee privately and independently," which is in direct violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Although Judge Mitchell agreed that the ballots were discriminatory, he did not follow through with the request to allow people to vote electronically, stating that there are legitimate concerns that this would not be the best way to address the issue. Further hearings will be held to determine the best way to resolve the issue.