Remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail System FAQs

The remote accessible vote-by-mail (RAVBM) system is an online tool that enables all voters, including those with disabilities, to access, read, and mark their ballot selections using any device. As a result, voters with disabilities are provided the opportunity to read and mark their ballot selections privately and independently using their own assistive technologies.

It is important to note that RAVBM is NOT a form of internet voting.

Although ballot selections can be marked online using the RAVBM system, the voter must print and return their physical ballot selections to their county elections official.

How Does RAVBM Work?

Voters may access and mark their ballot selections using any computer with internet access. The system is compatible with screen readers. The voter must print the marked ballot selections and return it by the close of polls at 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. RAVBM ballot selections cannot be returned by email. Only some Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) voters may return it by fax.

To ensure the privacy of each voter's selections, the RAVBM system does not store the voter's choices or transmit them over the internet. Every county administers RAVBM with slight variation. However, the following five steps typically describe how RAVBM operates across California:

How Can I Vote Using the RAVBM System?

  1. Find or request an RAVBM access link from your county. Contact your county's Elections Office by phone, email, or through your county's elections website to request an RAVBM access link.
  2. Follow the link to access instructions and mark your ballot selections. The access link should direct you to a certification page. After verifying your identity, you can review your RAVBM instructions. You will then proceed to mark your ballot selections on your own device, utilizing your own assistive technology, as necessary. Disability Rights California published a video demonstration of a RAVBM system.
  3. Review and print your RAVBM ballot selections. Review your ballot selections and make corrections as necessary. Upon completion, follow the instructions for printing your ballot selections.
  4. Place your RAVBM ballot selections in an envelope. Sign and seal the envelope. If you received a vote-by-mail ballot, it will have included an official ballot return envelope. Use this envelope to return your printed RAVBM ballot selections. Remember to sign the back of the envelope, seal the envelope, and sign between the 2 punched holes.

    Note: If you do not have an official ballot return envelope, contact your county's Elections Office to request a replacement. If there is not enough time before Election Day to receive a replacement envelope, refer to the return instructions regarding use of a standard, non-official envelope. You may need to print a portion of the envelope, or a “declaration”, from the materials provided when you accessed the RAVBM system.

  5. Return your RAVBM ballot selections in the signed and sealed envelope. Return your RAVBM ballot selections by mail, or at any ballot drop box in your county, any polling place or vote center in your county, or your county's Elections Office. If someone else is returning your ballot selections for you, ensure their name, relationship (to you), and signature are included on the envelope. For further guidance on how to return your RAVBM ballot selections, check the return instructions or call your county's Elections Office.

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