Wells v. Gann et al

On September 6, 2024, Mary Wells filed a federal lawsuit against Thomas Gann, in his official capacity as an election official, and the Knox County Board of Elections. Wells, a voter with a physical disability, alleged that her absentee mail-in ballot was unlawfully rejected due to a signature mismatch verification process that failed to provide a reasonable accommodation for her condition. The suit claimed violations of the First and Fourteenth Amendments, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Voting Rights Act. Wells sought injunctive relief to have her ballot counted in the upcoming 2024 general election and to reform the county's ballot verification procedures to prevent future disenfranchisement of voters with disabilities.

The court issued a preliminary injunction in favor of the plaintiff, ordering election officials to accept and count Mary Wells' ballot for the 2024 election. The broader constitutional and ADA claims remain pending as of the litigation's current status.

Whether the county's signature matching requirement for absentee ballots, without offering an alternative verification method for voters with physical disabilities, constitutes a violation of the ADA and the fundamental right to vote under the U.S. Constitution.

The case drew national attention to the accessibility of mail-in voting for disabled individuals ahead of the contentious 2024 presidential election. It sparked a renewed debate on the balance between ballot security measures and ensuring equal access to the franchise, prompting several states to review their absentee voting protocols.