Controls that are discernable or perceptible by touch using hands, feet, or other parts of the body. (Does not include touch screens.) Dual switches are a form of tactile controls that can be used by voters with minimal use of their hands.
What are tactile controls?
The term Tactile Controls refers to physical controls that can be identified or operated by touch, helping users interact with equipment without relying only on visual information. It gives election, security, legal, or technical readers a specific label for the concept rather than a broader everyday meaning.
How do tactile controls work on voting equipment?
In practice, Tactile Controls is applied to the technical or security purpose captured by its definition: physical controls that can be identified or operated by touch, helping users interact with equipment without relying only on visual information. Organizations combine that function with documented procedures, authorized access, testing, monitoring, and controls appropriate to the system.
Why do tactile controls matter for accessibility?
Understanding Tactile Controls matters because the concept can affect security, reliability, auditability, or trusted operation. In this glossary context, it refers to physical controls that can be identified or operated by touch, helping users interact with equipment without relying only on visual information.
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Controls that are discernable or perceptible by touch using hands, feet, or other parts of the body. (Does not include touch screens.) Dual switches are a form of tactile controls that can be used by voters with minimal use of their hands.
Cite this term
Election Security Glossary. (2026). Tactile Controls. In Election Security Glossary. Retrieved August 22, 2026, from https://electionsecurityglossary.com/glossary/tactile-controls
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