2025/12/18 by Gustavo Martins Piccolo, April Johnson · 1 voice
Social Sciences · #Disability Rights and Representation #Electoral Systems and Political Participation #Politics and Society in Latin America
paper · doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197777497.013.0027
openalex publication_date 2025/12/18 · openalex created_date 2025/12/19 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
Abstract A strong democracy relies upon the ability of those affected by political decisions to participate in and influence the decision-making process. As such, the absence or marginal presence of minority groups in policymaking spaces depresses the possibilities of building a fair and inclusive society. This chapter focuses on the voting rights and electoral candidacies of individuals with disabilities, a group that has historically been disenfranchised from the political sphere. Despite comprising nearly one-fifth of the global population, people with disabilities have less access to education, health services, and employment, as well as the lowest levels of electoral representation when compared to other minority groups. These outcomes are explained by a series of institutional factors, with a particular emphasis on accessibility and antidiscriminatory measures influential in promoting participation in the electoral process. In this chapter, we discuss the adoption of such legislation in Brazil as a case study and the resulting experiences of individuals with disabilities within this context. We conclude that the process of inclusion necessitates significant social changes to rearrange the visibility of people with disabilities, thereby encouraging their enfranchisement and presence in political arenas.