In Your Community: Are You Ready to Vote?

The state of Georgia's 2023 November elections has significant importance as they will determine the direction and leadership of communities across the state. While they are not as high-profile as statewide or national elections, these municipal races have a profound impact on the lives of Georgians with disabilities and their families. There are roughly 650,000 people with disabilities of voting age in Georgia and it is critical that their voices are heard at the voting polls.This year’s elections will decide a wide range of positions including mayors, city council members, school board officials, county commissioners and other key leadership roles. These offices are integral in shaping local policies, managing budgets and addressing the unique needs of individual communities and how they support accessibility, inclusion and opportunity for residents with disabilities. Voters' choices in these races directly influence the quality of life in their communities.The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is driven by its Five Year Strategic Plan goals to improve services and supports for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD). The Council, charged with creating systems change for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members, will work through various advocacy and capacity building activities to build a more interdependent, self-sufficient, and integrated and included disability community across Georgia.This project was supported, in part by grant number 2001GASCDD-03, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.