Navigating ADA Accessibility at Polling Locations

For the duration of the 2016 election season, greater than 30 million americans with unique desires will be traveling to one of the crucial greater than one hundred,000 polling locations to forged their vote. To be certain that citizens with disabilities are ready to exercise their right to vote, Federal regulation requires all polling places to be compliant with the americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Nonetheless, according to a 2006 report with the aid of the U.S. Elections help fee (EAC) 87.7 percent of polling locations were ADA-compliant. With that in intellect, listed here are a few guidelines for navigating ADA accessibility at polling places.

Arriving At Your Polling region

The accessibility of a polling situation begins in the car parking zone and drop-off elements and applies to the entire pathways that a disabled voter will navigate to arrive at the voting booth. The ADA requires parking lots, passenger drop-off areas and walkways at polling areas to be accessible and of fascinating width. Keep in mind that transitority options reminiscent of using portable ramps is also put in place to make sure the polling vicinity meets ADA specifications.

Obtainable Parking to your Conversion Van

the place parking is to be had for voters, one or more areas have got to be reserved and evidently marked for handicapped parking. The ADA requires at the least one of the most handicapped spaces be wide adequate to accommodate a wheelchair available van. Handicapped parking surfaces are required to be slip-resistant and freed from mud and gravel.

Obtainable Passenger Drop-Off areas

The polling area have to also provide as a minimum one accessible passenger drop-off region on the entrance that's principally for individuals with distinctive desires who depend on wheelchairs and different instruments for mobility.

Availability of Wheelchair Ramps for entering the power

Even a single quick step along the way can impede entry to a vote casting booth for many members with disabilities. That’s why the ADA requires polling locations to put in a wheelchair ramp, although it's transitority, if there are steps on the entrance. All wheelchair available ramps must meet ADA requirements with reference to slope, landings, handrails and defense on the perimeters. To help make sure a soft vote casting process, it’s foremost to devise forward. On account that polling locations can alternate, be certain you understand the place your polling precinct is placed before heading out to the polls. To verify your assigned polling precinct and to discover if it is ADA compliant and has wheelchair obtainable parking, you can contact the elections supervisor’s place of work to your county of house.