Improving digital accessibility for state voter registration
Learn how a state government achieved WCAG compliance for its voter registration systems, enhancing accessibility for over four million voters.
Client background
This client is a state government agency focused on testing its website and voter registration forms for compliance with the Web Content Authorizing Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, which aim to make online content more accessible to individuals with disabilities.
The business challenge
The organization sought a partner to conduct the testing, lead a usability study and provide a road map for accessibility improvements. Following concerns raised by constituent services, which the state’s development team could not validate, the organization aimed to assess its digital assets with these guidelines.
Strategy and solution
Baker Tilly served as the solution architect and project lead for digital accessibility compliance testing, which was conducted by a vendor partner specializing in assistive technologies. This testing focused on three election-related digital assets accessed by more than four million voters. These assets were also included in a statewide useability study. The team tested for WCAG 2.0 A, AA and AAA levels, achieving AAA conformance through collaboration with the state’s third-party development team. In addition, interviews and surveys with public, county and state stakeholders were conducted to identify further initiatives for improving accessibility.
Recent updates to the ADA Technology Compliance now include regulations from the Department of Justice (DOJ) requiring state and local governments to ensure their web content and mobile applications are accessible to people with disabilities. These regulations mandate conformance with WCAG standards across A, AA and AAA conformance levels.