As someone who self-identifies as neurodivergent, Andrew Markwalter understands the difficulties of navigating systems that weren’t exactly built with neurodivergent individuals in mind.
Virginia’s standardized voting process – lacking tailored accommodations or modifications – can be extremely intimidating or virtually inaccessible for those with neurodivergences like autism, ADHD or dyslexia. With the 2025 gubernatorial election cycle approaching, Markwalter, the CEO of Vote the Spectrum VA, believes it’s time to take action by empowering neurodivergent voters and their advocates.
In 2024, Markwalter launched the Charlottesville chapter of Vote the Spectrum to do just that. With early buy-in and support from the Virginia Institute of Autism and the University of Virginia, Markwalter chose to expand the effort statewide hoping to address the structural issues preventing full electoral participation for neurodivergent individuals.
We recently sat down with Markwalter to discuss the organization’s mission, its current initiatives and the challenges neurodivergent voters like himself continue to face in Virginia.
What does your role as CEO of Vote the Spectrum VA entail?
Since we’re still an early-stage organization, my primary role is to build the foundation of the organization. That includes everything from getting critical documents together, working toward our 501(c)(3) nonprofit status and even getting our EIN. I also handle fundraising and establish partnerships with election officials and advocacy groups. It’s a lot of different types of outreach to make sure we’re connecting with the right people to ensure voting is more accessible for neurodivergent individuals.
What specific programs and initiatives have you helped lead?
One particular initiative I’m especially proud of is our mock elections in special education classrooms. Through this initiative, we bring actual voting machines into classrooms and invite election officials to administer mock elections. This helps familiarize neurodivergent students with the voting process, reduce anxiety and increase confidence for when real elections roll around.
I also have been able to work directly with members of Vote the Spectrum VA. One of my biggest inspirations is this specific voter named Daniel. When we first met, he was extremely hesitant about the voting process, unsure of how to navigate it or whether he could even do it. We eventually sat down together, talked through the accommodations available to him and found ways to make the experience smoother. Watching Daniel grow more confident in his ability to participate reinforced exactly why Vote the Spectrum exists. If helping just one person feel empowered to vote can make a difference, imagine the impact we can have on thousands.
Additionally, we’re forming partnerships with advocacy groups to run workshops that specialize in educating neurodivergent voters and their support networks. We want to ensure that voters and their advocates understand the various accommodations available to them.
What are the biggest challenges neurodivergent individuals continue to face when voting?
The main issue is that Virginia’s election laws don’t address the individualized needs of neurodivergent voters – rather they broadly categorize all individuals with disabilities together. For example, a person with autism may require a structured voting process with minimal sensory distractions, while someone with ADHD might benefit from clear, concise ballot instructions. Ultimately, this is one of the challenges we feel the system doesn’t properly address.
Another one of our biggest challenges is pushing for more tailored accommodations, like streamlined ballots and accessible voting tablets. Training election officials on how to interact with neurodivergent voters is another crucial component. We must have officials who understand the specific needs of this community and can provide the right level of support.
In 2020, there were definitely some steps forward as Virginia passed legislation to streamline the electoral process for voters with disabilities. However, this new legislation doesn’t fully account for neurodivergent-specific needs. The broader progress we want to see involves individualizing the voting experience to ensure that voters who need alternative ballot formats, specialized instructions or extra time can easily access those accommodations.
How can people support Vote the Spectrum?
We have a form on our website where organizations can reach out if they’re interested in partnering with us. Also, as mentioned before, we are still building out local chapters so that individuals in the community can get more involved. Every single dollar donated helps us expand our reach, develop resources and establish relationships across Virginia.
Beyond financial support, simply spreading awareness about the importance of neurodivergent voting accessibility makes a huge difference. If people are in a position to help us connect with election officials or community leaders, we’d love to hear from them as well.
Our current objective is to establish Vote the Spectrum chapters in Richmond, Virginia Beach and Northern Virginia. Ultimately, we want to ensure that every neurodivergent voter in Virginia has a clear, accessible path to the ballot box. If we can continue building momentum, we believe Vote the Spectrum can become a model for other states looking to improve voting accessibility for neurodivergent individuals.
Learn how to support its mission and get involved here.
