Maggie AstorCompte certifié

This back-and-forth is all documented in emails that Meg shared with me. 8/

The Iowa Democratic Party has a new, "streamlined" accommodation request form, but it wasn't posted until this month, and it was barely advertised beyond a tweet from the party that said they were excited to offer such a request process "for the first time." 9/

The Republican Party of Iowa lists a phone number and email address to request accommodations, but it also hasn't publicized this. A spokesman told me "the disabilities groups" — meaning outside advocates — were good at getting the information out. 10/

As of Friday, the Iowa Republicans had received ONE accommodation request. The Democrats had received about 160. Iowa has an estimated 300,000 registered voters with disabilities. 11/

People do not know these request processes exist. I know because I talked to them. On Saturday, Meg Young emailed the Iowa Dems' disability chairwoman (who was just recently hired). She's waiting to hear back. The caucuses are eight days away. 12/

Take this experience and multiply it. Consider all the Iowans who didn't start seeking accommodations *four months in advance.* Then consider the Iowans for whom caucuses are inaccessible no matter what accommodations are available. 13/

People who are too sick to leave their homes. People who are immunocompromised and can't safely be among crowds, especially in flu season. The sorts of people who, in a primary or general election, could vote by absentee ballot. 14/

Disability rights advocates have worked really hard to make this year's caucuses more accessible. But there is a limit to how accessible *any* caucus can be without a remote participation option. (The DNC rejected that last year because of security concerns.) 15/