Ensuring the

Accessibility

of the Election

Process

Ensuring the

Accessibility

of the Election

Process

Produced by:

Paradigm Design Group/

Paralyzed Veterans of America

Managed and Edited by:

William C. Kimberling

Office of Election Administration

Published by:

Office of Election Administration

Federal Election Commission

Washington, D.C. 20463

August 1996
Introduction by the

Office of Election

Administration

This report is another in the series on Innovations in Election Administration being published

by the FEC's Office of Election Administration.

The purpose of this series is to acquaint State

and local election officials with innovative election procedures and technologies that have been

successfully implemented by their colleagues

around the country.

Our reports on these innovations do not

necessarily constitute an endorsement by

the Federal Election Commission either of

any specific procedures described or of any

vendors or suppliers that might be listed

within the report. Moreover, the views and

opinions expressed in these reports are

those of the authors and are not necessarily shared by the Federal Election Commission or any division thereof.

We welcome your comments on these reports

as well as any suggestions you may have for additional topics. You may mail these to us at:

The Office of Election Administration

Federal Election Commission

999 E. Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20463

or else contact us

Direct on 202/219-3670

Toll free on 800/424-9530

By FAX on 202/219-8500

e-mail on bkimberling@fec.gov

l i
Introduction

The purpose of this publication is to provide

information and guidance in order to help election officials ensure access to the election process for persons with disabilities.

The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and

Handicapped Act (VAA) of 1984 was the first to

bring federal focus directly on the need for accessible voting facilities and procedures. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 further

expanded and clarified the responsibilities of

State and local election officials in ensuring the

accessibility of the election process. And today,

many States also mandate accessible polling

places.

But voting accessibility is not just about complying with the law. It is also about the willingness of State and local election officials to serve

persons with disabilities by routinely considering their particular needs in all aspects of the

election process — in voter registration and in

providing public information as well as in the

voting process itself.

Many State and local election officials have

developed creative and innovative ways to accommodate disabled voters, many of which are not

costly but involve simple forethought and common sense. Some of these ideas are outlined in

the following pages along with other guidelines

and suggestions that you may find helpful.

The Scope

of the Problem

There are an estimated 49 million persons with

disabilities throughout the United States. And

although most people, when they hear the word

"disability", think of wheelchairs, there are actually four broad categories of disability to which

election officials will want to be sensitive:

• impaired vision

• impaired mobility

• impaired communication, and

• impaired dexterity.

It is important to note, however, that there is a

range of impairment within each of these categories. And in improving the accessibility of your election facilities, you will want to bear in mind not

just the extremes of these impairments but also

those less severely impaired who may nevertheless require some measures to ensure functional

accessibility to voting and registration facilities.

It should also be said that disabilities may come

in combinations. But many of the measures suggested in this volume (such as large type instructions or ramped stairs) may also accommodate

more than one disability.

Impaired Vision

Although total blindness is the extreme form of

visual impairment, there is also a substantial

number of people who are sighted but whose sight

is seriously impaired. Such persons may have

difficulty reading small type instructions or the

ballots themselves. Many of their needs can be

accommodated by providing such items as:

• good illumination both in the polling places and

in the registration facilities themselves as well

as in indoor passageways (and especially staircases) leading to such facilities

D large type (12 point bold or larger) instructions

— such as large, reusable, laminated posters

that can be affixed to tables, voting devices or

booths, or on the walls of the polling place

• magnifying glasses or devices that can be made

available on request from the chief poll workers

• assistance in voting provided under the requirements of State law (remembering that

Section 208 of the federal Voting Rights Act

permits virtually any person of the voter's

choice to provide them assistance)

D assistance (using either a staff reader or, preferably, an audio recording) in reading materials

that you have made available to the general

public.

Federal law does not require that braile materials of any type be provided (since braile materials would in any even serve fewer than 20% of

the blind population). There are at this writing,

however, a few lawsuits that seek some means

for the blind to vote unassisted and in privacy.

But whatever the final outcome of these cases, it

is reasonable to expect that, at the current rate
of technology, voting devices that facilitate independent voting by the blind may soon appear on

the market.

Impaired Mobility

The most noted form of impaired mobility is

the wheelchair. And later sections of this report

contain a number of specific measures that you

can take to ensure the accessibility of your election facilities to wheelchair users. Yet it is crucial to recognize that measures to ensure access

for wheelchair users may not be sufficient to serve

the needs of others who are ambulatory but nevertheless impaired. Those who use walkers,

canes, prosthetic devices or who suffer from dystrophy, sclerosis, heart ailments, obesity, infirmity of old age, or any number of other impairments frequently have limitations on the

distances they can traverse or on performing essential transactions while standing.

In addition to the other measures described

later in this volume, then, election officials will

want to consider:

D avoiding long distances to be traversed either

within the facility or from parking areas to the

facility

• ensuring that doors are not unduly heavy or

difficult to open

D ensuring that any internal steps or stairs are

either ramped or have elevator alternatives

• ensuring that walking surfaces are non-skid

and unencumbered with items over which one

might trip or stumble

• providing seating areas within the facility (especially along unavoidably long corridors and

in places with waiting lines)

• providing seats at tables or in voting devices.

Impaired Communication

Impaired communication refers both to impaired hearing and to impaired speech. Many of

the practical problems of those with impaired

hearing can be overcome by the same large type

instructions suggested above for the visually impaired. And although impaired speech presents

fewer practical problems, election officials may

want to include some sensitivity training as a

component to their standard poll worker and

employee training curricula (See Appendix A).

Impaired Dexterity

Impaired dexterity refers primarily to problems in grasping items in the hand. Its extreme

form is, of course, complete paralysis. But less

severe forms, such as muscular disorders or even

arthritis, are not uncommon. Accordingly, election officials will want to make sure that:

• any doorknobs are fitted with devices that convert them to levers, and that

• any stylus or other ballot marking instrument

has a knob that can be readily grasped.

Endnote

Many of the remedies to inaccessible polling

places that are suggested in this volume are relatively simple and easy to apply. Others may require some equipment, construction, or expert

guidance. For this reason, we have provided in

Appendix D a listing of sources you might turn to

for the more challenging problems you encounter.
Relevant Federal

Laws and Applicable

Guidelines/Standards

Five federal statutes pertain to the accessibility

of the election process to persons with disabilities.

These laws work together to ensure that all persons with disabilities, young and old, can enter a

facility, cast their vote, and exit the polling place

along with their fellow citizens. The following federal laws apply to all State and local jurisdictions:

The Voting Rights Act of 1965

(42 U.S.C. 1973aa-6)

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was originally

designed to protect and facilitate the voting rights

of racial minority groups. Subsequent amendments have, however, expanded it to include other

minority groups as well as more general matters

regarding voting qualifications and procedures.

Section 208 of that Act applies to all elections in

all jurisdictions and reads in its entirety:

"Any voter who requires assistance to vote by reason of blindness, disability, or inability to read or

write may be given assistance by a person of the

voter's choice, other than the voter's employer or

agent of that employer or agent of the voter's union."

This provision supersedes any incompatible State

law that may restrict the number of voters a person

may assist or that may place restrictions, such as

on children, on who may enter a polling booth with

a voter requiring assistance. It does not, however,

preclude obtaining a signed and sworn affidavit from

any person providing voter assistance.

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973

(29 U.S.C 791 et seq)

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

requires recipients of federal funds to make their

programs and activities accessible to persons with

disabilities. Included are both private and public

entities. State and local governments that receive

some type of federal funding, such as Community Development Block Grants, are considered

to be covered by Section 504.

The accepted standards for newly constructed

or altered facilities under Section 504 are the

Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFOS)

issued jointly by the General Services Administration, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Defense, and the U.S.

Postal Service.

The Voting Accessibility for the

Elderly and Handicapped Act of

1984 (42 U.S.C. 1973ee Through

1973ee-6)

The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and

Handicapped Act (VAA) of 1984 contains provisions expressly intended to "promote the fundamental right to vote by improving access for

handicapped and elderly individuals to registration facilities and polling places for Federal elections." Key provisions require:
I that each political subdivision responsible for

conducting elections within each State assure

that all polling places for federal elections are

accessible to elderly and handicapped voters

except in the case of an emergency as determined by the State's chief election officer or

unless the State's chief election officer

- determines, by surveying all potential polling places, that no such place in the area is

accessible nor can be made temporarily accessible, and

- assures that any handicapped voter assigned

to an inaccessible polling place will, upon advanced request under established State procedures, either be assigned to an accessible

polling place or be provided an alternative

means of casting a ballot on election day.

that each State or political subdivision responsible for voter registration for federal elections

provide a reasonable number of accessible permanent registration facilities unless the State

has in effect a system which provides potential voters an opportunity to register by mail

or at their residence.

that each State make available to handicapped

and elderly individuals registration and voting aids for federal elections including largetype instructions conspicuously displayed in

every permanent registration facility and polling place and information by telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD's).

the elimination of any notarization or medical

certification requirement for handicapped voters to obtain (or apply for) an absentee ballot

except for medical certifications required to

establish eligibility, under State law, for automatically receiving such an application or ballot on a continuing basis or for applying for an

absentee ballot after the deadline has passed.

that each State's chief election officer provide

public notice, calculated to reach elderly and

handicapped voters, of the availability

- of the registration and voting aids required

above

- of the voter assistance provisions under Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965,

and

- of the procedures for voting by absentee ballot not later than general public notice of

registration and voting is provided.

Although it was not the intent of this Act to

impose any national standard of accessibility, the

chairman of the House Subcommittee on Elections (in Hearings conducted in 1987) asked the

Federal Election Commission to explore ways of

achieving a greater commonality of approach in

the various States. Accordingly, the FEC's National Clearinghouse on Election Administration

joined with the National Association of Secretaries of State and the Coalition for Voter Accessibility in an effort to devise a polling place evaluation and reporting form which might be adopted

voluntarily by the States. This form was designed

to be comprehensive, flexible enough to accommodate variations in individual States specifications, yet fairly easy to complete. It appears in

Appendix B of this report.

The Americans with Disabilities

Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C.)

Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act

(ADA) prohibits discrimination by State or local

entities in any of its services, programs, or activities — including the election process. State

and local election entities are thereby obliged to

ensure the accessibility of the election process by

qualified persons with disabilities.

The applicable standards for assessing public

facilities under this Act are either the Uniform

Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) or the

Americans with Disability Accessibility Guidelines/ADA Standards for Accessible Design

(ADAAG).
A Note on The Relationship of

the Voting Accessibility for the

Elderly and Handicapped Act to

the Americans with Disabilities

Act

A number of State and local election officials were

concerned in 1993 about the impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act on their efforts to comply with the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and

Handicapped Act of 1984. For although there are

no direct statutory linkages between the Acts, they

both address the same subject.

Indeed, the House Subcommittee on Elections,

in their 1991 Hearings on the VAA requested the

Federal Election Commission's understanding of

the relationship between the two Act. Their response, which you will want to review, is provided

in Appendix C.

The National Voter Registration

Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg)

This Act applies to all federal elections in all

States except Idaho, Minnesota, New Hampshire,

North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming which

are exempted by 42 U.S.C. 1973gg-2 as amended.

In all other States, this Act, among many other

things:

• requires that individuals be given an opportunity to register by mail using either a State

mail voter registration form or the national

mail voter registration form

• requires that individuals be given an opportunity to register to vote (or to update their voter

registration data) when applying for or renewing a driver's license or other personal identification document issued by a State motor vehicle authority

• requires that individuals be given the opportunity to v/iiister to vote (or to change their

voter registration address) when applying for

services or assistance

- at any office in the State that provides public assistance including, but not limited to,

the Food Stamp program; the Medicaid program; the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children

(WIC) program; and the Aid to Families with

Dependant Children (AFDC) program;

- at other offices designated by the State;

- at Armed Forces recruitment offices;

and, most important for the purposes of this

volume

- at or through any office in the State that

provides State funded programs primarily

engaged in providing services to persons

with disabilities.

Local election officials should consult their

chief State election official to learn which agencies within their State have been designated as

voter registration facilities.

Ensuring Access

to the Polling Place

Only those features of a site which are a necessary part of the process of getting to the polling

place, and which facilitate accessibility for voters

with disabilities are included in this section. Notwithstanding efforts already undertaken by facility owners to provide for accessibility, election officials are charged by the Voting Accessibility for

Elderly and Handicapped Act with insuring the

accessibility of the polling place. The use of all or a

portion of both a site and building for a polling place

may be quite different from its normal use. Special

temporary measures may be required to convert

the existing facility to a polling place to providing

accessibility for voters with disabilities. For instance, the polling place may be only a small part

of a larger building remote from the building's main

entry. The existing secondary entrance may be used

for the primary entry to the polling place but may

not be accessible, and far from designated accessible parking spaces. In this case, some accommodations will have to be made by election officials to

address the barriers created by the polling place

setup and operation.

Accessible Site for Polling Place

An accessible site for a polling place will provide an accessible route or routes to an accessible

building entry to the polling place. Typically, there

should be an accessible route from public streets

or sidewalks. If on-site parking is afforded voters, then accessible parking with an accessible

route to the polling place should be provided. If

there is a nearby public transportation stop, there

should be an accessible route from the public

transportation stop to the polling place site. An

accessible passenger loading zone should also be

provided.

Accessible On-Site Car and Van

Parking

The Americans with Disabilities Accessibility

Guidelines (ADAAG) for new construction requires

that when on-site parking is provided for selfparking by employees (and volunteers) or visitors (voters), then accessible parking spaces shall

be provided:

If on-site parking is available at the voting/registration area, the parking area should comply

on at least a temporary basis with ADAAG requirements for new construction for both van

accessible and overall total number of accessible

parking spaces. The required parking spaces may

be provided in the particular lot, or could be provided in another location if equivalent or greater

accessibility in terms of distance from an accessible entrance, cost and convenience is ensured.

Accessible parking spaces should be located on

the closest accessible route of travel from adjacent parking to the accessible entrance of the

voting/registration facility. If the parking area is

curbed, a curb ramp will be needed on the accessible route to the facility entry.
Total Parking Spaces

Ito25

26 to 50

51 to 75

76 to 100

101 to 150

151 to 200

201 plus

Accessible Spaces

1 (van accessible)

2 (1 van accessible)

3 (1 van accessible)

4 (1 van accessible)

5 (1 van accessible)

6 (1 van accessible)

refer to ADAAG 4.1.2(5)(a&b)

Note that for parking areas constructed prior to ADAAG, if the parking area provides for

accessible (handicapped) parking spaces, it may not have provided for van accessible parking

or provided an adequate number of accessible parking spaces.

10
Figure 1

Accessible Parking Bay Without Curb
Figure 2

Accessible Parking Bay with Curb
Accessible Passenger Loading

Zones

If adequate on-site or on-street parking close

to the voting or registration site is not available,

then a passenger loading zone with an access aisle

close to an accessible entrance should be provided

on at least a temporary basis. If this loading zone

includes a curb, a curb ramp will be required.

Many voters with disabilities will arrive at the

voting/registration site via a pool vehicle which

requires a passenger loading zone for drop off.

While some of these voters can disembark/ embark a high floor vehicle such as a van or a lift

equipped vehicle at curb level, many others with

mobility impairments and wheelchair users must

get in and out at pavement level, especially from

low floor vehicles such as most passenger cars.

Figure 3

Accessible Passenger Loading Zone
Figure 4

Temporary Accessible Loading Zone

(Two parking spaces required)
Public Transportation Stops

Voters with disabilities may elect to arrive via

public transportation if available. If a bus or subway stop is close to the voting/registration site,

an accessible route from the transit stop should

be verified. An accessible route might require the

installation of new curb ramps or cross walks.

These off site modifications should be permanent

improvements if possible.

Accessible Route

• Curb ramps: A curb on an otherwise accessible

route is an insurmountable barrier for many

voters with disabilities using wheelchairs or

walking aids. A curb ramp with a maximum

slope of 1:12 and a minimum width of 36" is required to overcome the curb barrier. Curb ramps

work best if they are cut out of the curb back

into the sidewalk, and hence are a permanent

site or off-site improvement. A temporary curb

ramp which does not cut the curb must project

6' from a 6" curb line without extending into vehicular traffic. In many instances, space limitations on existing sidewalk's will not permit the

installation of this ramp. As an alternative, a

temporary projecting built up curb ramp can be

made with asphalt paving patch material which

can be rolled with smooth feather edges. Temporary projecting curb ramps can be made out of

wood with 2" high curbs on both sides of a 3' wide

ramp, but should be securely fastened to pavement, and tapered to a maximum 1/4" vertical

lower threshold, with a minimal gap at curb line.

Figure 5

Example of

Permanent

Curb Ramp
Figure 6

Example of Temporary Built-up Curb Ramp
Walkways

: The minimum clear width of a

walkway should be 36". If less than 60" wide

passing spaces 60" by 60" should be provided

at reasonable intervals not to exceed 200'. A Tshaped walkway intersection is an acceptable

passing space. The walkway surface should be

stable, firm and slip-resistant. Typically, the

walkway will be asphalt or concrete pavement,

but compacted crushed rock and gravel, or

tamped earth which is passable to wheelchairs

in inclement weather is also acceptable. The

walkway should have a cross slope not to ex-

ceed 1:50 so that wheelchair users can main-

tain a straight path. The running slope should

not exceed 1:20; slopes over 1:20 are consid-

ered a ramp and will require handrails and

intermittent landings 60" long at 30" height

gain intervals.

Entry: Voters with disabilities should be able

to enter the polling place by the same entry as

other voters. Steps at the entry to a polling

place are an insurmountable barrier for vot-

ers using a wheelchair or walking aid. Sepa-

rately routing these voters to a back service or

loading entry is strongly discouraged. A low

stepped entry barrier can be overcome by ei-

ther a permanent or temporary ramp. Stepped

entry's with a total height gain of 30" can be

overcome by a single ramp run with a maxi-

mum slope of 1:12 (1' horizontal ramp run for

each inch of height gain). Note a slope of 1:16

is easier for persons with disabilities to use and

thus preferable if space permits. A stepped

entry with between 30" and 60" of total height

gain will require two ramp runs with an inter-

mittent 60" landing. It may not be spatially

feasible to overcome a stepped entry over 60"

high with ramps and the effort required may

be too taxing for many disabled voters; a por-

table or permanent platform lift may be an al-

ternative solution.

17
Figure 7

Temporary Ramp to Overcome Steps at Entry
Ensuring Access

Inside the Polling

Place

Only those features of a building which are a

necessary part of the process of getting to the voting booth to cast a ballot, and which facilitate accessibility for voters with disabilities are included

in this section. Support features such as water fountains and toilet rooms are not included because they

are not essential to casting a vote. Nevertheless,

these and other accessible support features are necessary for persons with disabilities to participate

as poll workers and election officials.

Doors

Doors at the building entry and interior doors

encountered en route to the voting booth may pose

a barrier to access by voters with disabilities.

• Revolving doors: Revolving doors at an entry are a barrier to passage of voters in wheelchairs and elderly voters using walkers or

crutches. An alternate accessible door should

be available.

• Double doors: Double doors, including those

without a central fixed post (astrigal), are not

accessible unless one of the doors fully open

meets the minimum clear passage width. However, double doors linked to act in concert so that

opening one door opens the other are accessible

if they provide the minimum clear passage width

between door faces when fully open 90 degrees.

Doors in series: Two doors in series such as

an airlock at building entry are not accessible

unless there is a minimum of 48" between the

doors plus the width of any door opening into

intervening space. Doors in series should either both open in the same direction or in opposite directions away from the intervening

space.

Clear passage width: To permit passage of

voters in wheelchairs and elderly voters with

walkers or crutches, the doorway clear opening should be a minimum of 32" wide with the

door open 90 degrees, measured from the door

face to opposite stop (latch side). Given a typical door thickness of 1 1/2" to 2" the minimum

actual width of a door permitting this accessible passage is nominally 36".

Doorways not permitting this 32" clear passage

for accessibility, but measuring 32" or more between stops, may be made accessible by temporarily removing the door or remounting the

door on special offset hinges. Note that removing a door may not be permitted by weather

considerations or fire code. If the doorway is

too narrow, providing a wider door can be a

relatively expensive permanent solution, typically involving new structural reframing and

refinishing of the wall, and a new door frame

and threshold as well as a new wider door.

19
Door hardware: Accessible doors should be • Door closers: Automatic door closers can conoperable with one hand, without having to stitute a barrier for voters with disabilities if

tightly grasp, tightly pinch or twist the wrist doors close too quickly to permit passage. Door

to open. Lever handles, push bar mechanisms, closers should be adjusted to allow at least 3

and U-shaped pull handles are acceptable, but seconds from the fully open to nearly closed

door knobs are not. position.

Figure 8

Doorway Clear Width and Maneuvering Clearances
• Thresholds: Doorway thresholds can constitute a barrier that impedes voters who use

wheelchairs and elderly voters with walkers

or crutches if the threshold is too high or

abrupt. Thresholds should not exceed 1/2" in

height and should be beveled at a slope no

greater than 1:2. If a threshold is not accessible, a temporary accommodation may be necessary. A poll worker may also have to be positioned to hold the door open for voters using

wheelchairs, walkers, or crutches.

Accessible Route

There should be an accessible route of travel

for voters with disabilities extending from the

accessible building entry to the voting machine

or voting booth. Exit after voting may be by the

same or another accessible route may be used.

Minimum width: To permit the one way passage of voters with disabilities using wheelchairs, walkers, crutches or service animals, a

36" minimum wide route is required. Note that

this minimum width pertains to the furniture

placement in rooms, including tables, chairs

and voting booths as well as fixed architectural

components such as halls and corridors. This

minimum width can be reduced at points down

to 32" for up to 24" of travel such as past the

narrow end of a table or an architectural pilaster. This minimum width only permits one

way passage of persons using a wheelchair,

walking aid or service animal - no person,

whether ambulatory or not, could pass by a

wheelchair, walking aid or service animal user

in either direction. Therefore, an accessible

route less than 60" wide will require passing

spaces 60" by 60" at regular intervals.

21
Recommended minimum width: Many polling places are likely to be crowded on Election

Day and a 36" minimum accessible route could

aggravate the congestion. The minimum width

for a voter with a disability using a wheelchair,

walking aid or service animal to bypass an ambulatory person is 48". The minimum width for

two wheelchairs or walking aid users to pass each

other or for an ambulatory person to pass by a

wheelchair, walking aid or service animal user

without turning sideways is 60". To ease congestion and to permit the flexibility and courtesy of

allowing voters with disabilities in wheelchairs,

or with walking aids and service animals to go

to the front of the line a minimum continuous

width for an accessible route of 60" is recommended, with a minimum of 48" at furniture

passage points such as registration verification

tables and voting booths.

Figure 9

Minimum Width for Accessible Passage
Protruding objects: Objects which extend from cane cannot detect a protruding object mounted

the wall along an accessible route such as a fire with its lower edge over 27" above the floor and

extinguisher, drinking fountain or public tele- may walk into it. Similarly, free-standing objects

phone stand reduce the effective width of the ac- such as temporary directional signs on posts or

cessible route at that point and may present a temporary saw horse barriers will not be detected

hazard for voters with disabilities who are visu- by visually above the floor,

ally impaired. A visually impaired voter using a

Figure 10

Protruding Objects and Overhead Clearances
Overhead clearance: A minimum overhead

clearance of 6' 8" should be maintained. Signs,

including fire exit signs, old door closers which

hang below the door head, light fixtures, and especially the open underside of staircases are examples of overhead hazards not detected by blind

or visually impaired persons using a cane without a warning barrier.

Accessible Voter Registration

Verification

Verification of voter registration is typically

done at tables. Tables should be no higher than

34" with 29" clear under them to both allow for

wheelchair users to be poll workers, and voters

in wheelchairs to approach the table. Elderly voters may not be comfortable having to stand to

answer registration questions, and having chairs

available for their use will help put them at ease.

If there are long lines for either verification of

voter registration or to use the voting booths, then

chairs should be available where elderly voters

can await their turn. Elderly voters should not

have to shuttle from chair to chair to maintain

their place in line, but, instead, should be called

when their turn is near, allowing them some extra time for transit. Chairs intended for elderly

use should be equipped with arms, which will

assist the elderly in both sitting and arising. In

arranging the furniture at the polling place, it is

important to maintain adequate clearances to

permit the passage and maneuver of persons with

disabilities and the elderly.

Voting

• Accessible voting machine booths: An accessible voting machine should provide sufficient room for a voter with a disability such as

a wheelchair user to vote in complete privacy

behind a curtain or screen to insure a secret

ballot. Any levers, buttons or other voting

means should be within an easy reach range

of a wheelchair user. For a frontal approach,

this booth space should be a minimum of 36"

wide by 48" deep; this depth can be reduced to

36" if the voting machine is set up on a table

or otherwise provides 29" high knee space 19"

deep for wheelchair users. The reach range of

a wheelchair user for a frontal approach is limited to 48" high. If a wheelchair user can position themselves parallel to the machine, the

reach range is increased to 54" high, but minimum space is increased to 48" wide by 36"

deep.

Accessible voting booths in lieu of

machines: Some voters with disabilities may

not be able to use a voting machine. And some

polling places may not have a sufficient number of registered voters to warrant the use of

voting machines, and may instead use a voting booth and hand-marked ballots. An accessible voting booth for handmarked ballots

should have a screened table with a maximum

height of 34" and 29" clear height to permit

wheelchair voters. A curtained or screened

booth a minimum of 36" wide and 36" deep will

accommodate a wheelchair user.

Accompanied voters with disabilities:

Federal law allows voters with disabilities to

be accompanied and to receive assistance by

another person in the voting booth. To ensure

a secret ballot, the curtained or screened voting

booth of at least one machine or manual ballot

should be 48" wide by 48" deep to accommodate

accompanied voters with disabilities.

24
Figure 11

Accessible Voting Machine Booth (No Kneespace)
Figure 12

Accessible Voting Machine Booth with Kneespace
Figure 13

Accessible Voting Machine Booth (No Kneespace)
Figure 14

Accessible Voting Booth with Table
Funding

Accommodations

for People with

Disabilities

Frequently, making accommodations to achieve

accessibility to polling places for people with disabilities requires the expenditure of funds for items

such as portable ramps, special hardware or special adaptive equipment. Most states do not budget for these accommodations, so imaginative and

innovative funding methods have to be devised.

In most cases, fundraising is a one-time effort

and not an annual necessity. Once the items

needed to provide accessibility are acquired, they

can be used for each subsequent elections. Most

local organizations take on annual fundraising

for the charities and causes they adopt and are

not able to add to those efforts on an annual basis. However, as a one-time effort, they are more

open to helping.

Here are some of the ways in which election

districts across the nation have met the funding

challenge:

Service clubs: Service clubs such as the Junior

Chamber of Commerce, the Lions, Kiwanis or Rotary clubs have "adopted" a polling place and used

a variety of fundraising approaches to raise

money to help make polling places accessible. If

approached and given the nature of the problem,

these community organizations will take on the

one-time job of raising funds to provide the necessary accommodations as a part of their community action programs.

Political parties: Local political parties can be

called upon to help raise funds for accessible accommodations at election polling places. If approached in an effective manner, political leaders can see a public relations benefit in helping

out. It also tends to increase their awareness of

people with disabilities in the community and

their desire to be a part of the political process

by exercising their franchise.

Civic clubs: Organizations such as the League

of Women Voters and other civic organizations

can be a resource for raising funds. These groups

often have a very direct interest in seeing that

voter turnout is maximized and therefore are

quick to realize the benefit of providing accessible polling facilities for people with disabilities

in their communities.

Veterans organizations: The American Legion,

the Paralyzed Veterans of America and other

veteran's groups have local chapters across the

country and can be called upon to help raise

funds, which help their members who have disabilities get out to vote.

Local disability groups: Local disability groups,

such as the chapters of the Easter Seal Society, can

often be called upon to assist in raising funds to

provide accessible accommodations which provide

a direct benefit to their members and enhance their

reputations as community organizations.

29
Schools: Local high schools and colleges can be

approached to help raise funds. In most cases,

students show considerable energy and creativity in raising money from such events as car

washes, dances, and other special events. Civics

and social studies classes are especially easy to

approach and challenge to help raise funds.

30
Appendices

31
32
Appendix A

Common Courtesies

and Guidelines

Be considerate of the extra time it might take for a person who is disabled or elderly to

get things done, and give unhurried attention to a person who has difficulty speaking.

Speak directly to the person who has a disability rather than to a companion who may

be along.

Speak calmly, slowly and directly to a person with a hearing problem. Your facial expressions, gestures and body movements help in understanding. Don't shout or speak in

the person's ear. If full understanding is doubtful, write a note to the person with a

hearing problem.

Before pushing someone in a wheelchair, ask if you may do so and how you should

proceed.

Greet a person who is visually impaired by letting the person know who and where you

are. Provide a guiding device such as a ruler or card for signing forms. When offering

walking assistance, allow the person to take your arm and tell him or her if you are

approaching steps or inclines.

Be aware that dogs who assist people with disabilities should be admitted into all buildings. Such dogs are highly trained and need no special care other than that provided by

the owner.

Be aware that federal law allows voters with disabilities to be accompanied and to receive assistance by another person in the voting booth.

Remember that all voters deserve courteous attention in exercising their right as citizens to vote.

If space allows, provide seating outside the polling place for voters to sit while they wait

for rides or for their companions to vote.

In advance of election day, offer to make available a voting booth to demonstrate to

people with disabilities how it works so they can become familiar with its operation and

be ready to cast their vote on election day.

33
APPENDIX B

Polling Place

Accessibility

Survey Form

COUNTY/CITYTOWN:

POLLING PLACE NAME/NUMBER:

POLLING PLACE ADDRESS/LOCATION:
INSTRUCTIONS

The purpose of this form is to evaluaate the practical accessibility of polling places to

the disabled pursuant to the requirements of the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and

Handicapped Act of 1984. This form is designed to facilitate a walk-through inspection

of each polling place from the parking area to the voting area. Completing the form

should require no more than a yardstick, a tape measure, and approximately 30 minutes.

Please respond to all questions in each category by marking either 'YES", "NO", or

"NOT APPLICABLE", as appropriate. Items with clear boxes are required while items

with shaded boxes are recommended. Thus, a "NO" response in any clear box renders

the polling place INACCESSIBLE whereas a "NO" response in any shaded box renders

it ACCESSIBLE BUT INCONVENIENT provided that all other responses are "YES" or

"NOT APPLICABLE."

We recognize that a polling place may be inaccessible for more than one reason. It is

therefore especially important to respond to every item and to summarize the responses

by category on the back page.

1. Name, address, and telephone number of person completing this form:

2. Date on which inspection was conducted:

A. Was the inspection conducted on site?
CATEGORY I:

PARKING

YES NO N/A

1. Are there off-street parking spaces either permanently or temporarily designated for the

handicapped?

2. With regard to off-street parking:

a. Are such parkinq spaces at least feet

wide?

b. Are such parking spaces on level ground

(with a slope no greater than a rise of

foot in feet)?

c. Is the parking area paved (concrete, asphalt, macadam, etc.)?

d. Are the parking spaces within a reasonable

travel distance ( feet) of the building?

e. Is there a curb cut to connect these parking spaces to an accessible walk or to the

building entrance?

f. Are these parking spaces designated by

post-mounted signs bearing the symbol of

accessibility?

3. Is there a relatively level passenger drop-off

zone at least feet wide with a curb-cut

connecting it to an accessible walk or to the

building entrance?

[I

END OF CATEGORY I.

PLEASE PROCEED TO NEXT CATEGORY.
CATEGORY II:

WALKWAYS OR PATHWAYS TO THE BUILDING

1. Is the walkway or pathway to the building

paved (concrete, asphalt, macadam, etc.)?

2. Is the walkway or pathway to the building at

least inches wide?

3. Are all curbs along the pathway to the building

cut or ramped with at least a clear

width and with slopes of no more than a

inch rise in inches?

4. Are all stairs or steps along the walkway or

pathway to the building either ramped (with a

slope of no more than a foot rise in

feet) or else provided with a suitable alternative

means of access?

5. Do stairsteps along the walkway or pathway to

the building have non-slip surfaces and handrails?

6. Is the walkway or pathway to the building entrance:

a. free of protrusions (such as fire hydrants,

tree trunks, or other obstacles) which narrow the passage to less than inches?

b. free of any abrupt edges or breaks in the

surface where the difference is over

inches in height (such as where it crosses

a driveway, parking lot, or another walkway, etc.)?

YES

y////////////,

y////////////j

NO

'////////////A

'////////////,

y////////////>

N/A

'//////////A

y//////////A

1
WALKWAYS OR PATHWAYS TO THE BUILDING (cont'd)

c. free of any overhanging objects (such as

tree branches, signs, etc.) which hang

lower than inches?

d. free of any slopes or inclines greater than

a foot rise in feet?

e. free of any grating with openings of over

inches wide?

7. Are walkways always well lighted?

8. Are provisions made to ensure that walkways

are free of such hazards as ice, snow, leaves,

or other debris on the day of election?

9. Are there signs which identify the accessible

route of travel if that route is different from the

primary route of travel to the building?

YES

>/7/777/7Ws

1

I

y////////////. W77//7//7/// 1

9////////////. W7777777/77/.

1

'i1

W//////////y.

NO

V7777777&7/,

V7//7/777777/

/////////////.

777/7777777%

•///////////a

N/A

77/777/777/7%

1

Y/S//////////

1 /////////////.

y7777/77777/!>,

1

1

'///////////A

END OF CATEGORY II.

PLEASE PROCEED TO NEXT CATEGORY.
CATEGORY III:

RAMPS AND ELEVATORS ENTERING OR INSIDE THE BUILDING

YES NO N/A

1. Are building stairs or steps which are over

inches high (either at the entrance or between the entrance and the voting area) provided either with a ramp, with an elevator, or

with an alternative means of unassisted passage (such as a chairlift or an alternative route

of travel)?

2. With regard to ramps:

a. Do all ramps have a slope no greater than

a rise of foot in feet?

b. Are ramps provided with non-slip surfaces?

c. For any ramp rising more than

inches or longer than inches or

longer than inches, is a handrail provided?

d. Are handrails at least inches above

ramp surface?

e. Can handrails be gripped?

f. Are ramps and landing areas with drop-offs

provided with at least a inch curb at

the side to prevent slipping off the ramps?

g. If there is a door at the top of the ramp, is

there a level space of at least feet

by feet where a wheelchair can rest

while the door is opened?

r

''/77/S77/777/J

" " <
RAMPS AND ELEVATORS ENTERING OR INSIDE THE BUILDING (cont'd)

YES NO N/A

3. With regard to elevators (if elevators are the

only accessible route):

a. Is the elevator cab at least feet by

feet wide?

b. Do elevator doors provide at least

inches clear width?

c. Are elevator controls less than inches

high (i.e. can a person in a chair operate

the controls)?

d. Are control panels marked with raised lettering?

e. Is the elevator in close proximity to the entrance of the building?

END OF CATEGORY III.

PLEASE PROCEED TO NEXT CATEGORY.
CATEGORY IV:

OTHER ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES

1. With regard to doors along the route of travel:

a. Do all doors have an opening which clears

at least inches wide?

b. Are all door thresholds less than inch

high?

c. Are all doors equiped with either arch or

lever-type handles, pushplates, or automatic openers (so that twisting a doorknob

is not required)?

d. Where automatic doors are used, does the

door remain open at least seconds?

e. Are glass doors marked with safety seals?

2. With regard to stairs along the route:

a. Do stairs have non-slip surface?

b. Do stairs have handrails at least

inches above step level?

c. Can handrails be gripped?

d. Do all steps have risers (the little vertical

walls at the back of each step)?

e. Do all steps have tread areas at least

inches deep?

YES

^7/777/777/7.

'/SS//S//S///,

p///#//

Lr

n

NO

7/777777/777/.

'SiU/CWXiU7/777/77/777/.

7/777/777777/.

7////////////

'/777?777/77/,

Wfflffl.

N/A

'&/7&rf77W,

J...

/////7/7V7/77,

I

17///7/777/7%

V7/77/777y77/
OTHER ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (cont'd)

f. Are all steps less than inches in

height?

g. Are stairs well lit?

h. Are stairs free of obstacles?

3. With regard to corridors along the route:

a. Is the corridor at least inches wide?

b. Is the corridor free of obstacles or protrusions (such as boxes, water fountains,

etc.) which extend more than inches

from the wall?

c. Is there sufficient lighting at all points

along the route?

d. Is there a seating or rest area in any corridor lonqer than feet?

e. Does the corridor have a non-slip surface?

f. Are all rugs and mats securely fastened?

YES

Y£M2Z4ZMi.

y7/777/777/7j

NO

?/777S77'//77'A

V#MM.

N/A

1

" J

- j

'//////////At

END OF CATEGORY IV.

PLEASE PROCEED TO NEXT CATEGORY.
CATEGORY V:

FEATURES WITHIN THE VOTING AREA

1. • Are instructions for voting printed in

point or larger type in simple language, and

plainly displayed?

2. Is there sufficient unobstructed space for the

reasonable movement of voters in wheelchairs?

3. Can all necessary parts of the voting equipment be reached by a person seated in a chair

or, at least, is an alternative means of casting

a ballot provided?

4. Are magnifying devices available for those who

request them?

5. Is there adequate lighting in the voting area?

6. Is seating available for elderly or handicapped

voters awaiting their turn to vote?

YES

%

1

'////////////A

",y///////////. i

L.

NO

'///////////A

'////////////j

y////////////

N/A

w/////////^

\

\

/////////////

\

-J

END OF CATEGORY V:
OTHER REASONS FOR INACCESSIBILITY (Describe):

PLEASE COMPLETE THE SUMMARY

OF ACCESSIBILITY ON BACK
SUMMARY OF ACCESSIBILITY BY CATEGORIES

Please review the responses within each category on the previous pages and

indicate below whether each category is:

• INACCESSIBLE (if there is a "NO" response in any unshaded box in the

category)

• ACCESSIBILE BUT INCONVENIENT (if all "NO" responses in the category are

only in shaded boxes and all the responses in the unshaded boxes are either

"YES" or "N/A".)

• FULLY ACCESSIBSLE (if all responses in the category are either "YES" or

"N/A")

Category

1. Parking

II. Walkways or pathways to building

III. Ramps and elevators entering or inside of the building

IV. Other architectural features

V. Voting area

VI. Other

Inaccessible Accessible

But

Inconvenient

Fully

Accessible

OVERALL DETERMINATION OF POLLING PLACE ACCESSIBILITY

(mark one box only)

If one or more of the categories above is marked

"INACCESSIBLE", then the polling place is .INACCESSIBLE •

If no category is marked "INACCESSIBLE" but one

or more is marked "ACCESSIBLE BUT INCONVENIENT

then the polling place is ACCESSIBLE BUT INCONVENIENT •

If all categories above are marked "FULLY

ACCESSIBLE", then the polling place is .... .FULLY ACCESSIBLE •

DISPOSITION OF INACCESSIBLE POLLING PLACE

If the polling place is INACCESSIBLE

a. Has an alternative accessible facility been sought?

b. Are permanent or temporary alterations planned to render the

polling place accessible in the coming general election?

Yes No

• •

• •
Dear Representative Livingston:

The purpose of this letter is to advise you of this

Commission's understanding of the relationship between the Voting

Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act (VAA) of 1984

and the Americans with Disabilities Act <ADA) of 1990.

As you know, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) has

certain duties and responsibilities both under the Federal

Election Campaign Act (2 U.S.C. 438(a)(10)) and under the VAA

(42 U.S.C. 1973ee-l). Pursuant to these obligations, we have

received over the past few weeks a number of questions from State

and local election officials regarding the impact of Title II of

the ADA on the requirements of the VAA. Moreover, you will

recall that in the May 14, 1991 hearing on the VAA held before

the House Subcommittee on Elections, you requested of this

Commission, "Either now or for the record, would you state your

understanding of how these two Acts interrelate?" This letter,

then, responds to that request.

The questions coming to us address four general issues:

o the appropriate standards to use in determining the

accessibility of existing physical facilities (with

special reference to polling places)

o the extent to which individual instances of

inaccessible polling places or registration sites

might be actionable under the ADA

o the nature of the auxiliary aids required for the

disabled, and

o the application of the -self-evaluation requirements

imposed on public entities by the ADA.

In examining these issues, this Commission has read with

interest the Department of Justice (DOJ) regulations (28 CFR Part

35) and has reached the following conclusions.
o Item 1: Tha appropriate standards to use in determining the

accessibility of existing physical facilities.

Subsection 3(a) of the VAA (42 U.S.C 1973ee-l) requires,

essentially, that all polling places for Federal elections be

accessible to elderly and handicapped voters. Section 8 of the

VAX (42 U.S.C. 1973ee-6) further defines "accessible" to mean

"accessible to handicapped and elderly individuals for the

purpose of voting or registration, as determined under guidelines

established by the chief election officer of the State involved."

At the specific request of the House Subcommittee on

Elections in its October 6, 1987 hearing on the VAA, this

Commission (in consultation with the Coalition for Voter

Accessibility and the National Association of Secretaries of

State) recommended a set of polling place accessibility criteria

in order to assist the chief election officers of the States in

developing their accessibility guidelines. These criteria have

subsequently been adopted by approximately 40 of the States.

Subsection 3S.151(c) of the DOJ regulations offers at least

two alternative sets of accessibility criteria for New

Construction and Alterations — either the Uniform Federal

Accessibility Standards (UFAS) or else the Americans with

Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and

Facilities (ADAAG). Importantly, however, this section further

states that "Departures from particular requirements of either

standard by the use of other methods shall be permitted when it

is claarly evident that equivalent access to the facility or part

of the facility is thereby provided."

Section 35.150 of those regulations provides no parallel

guidance with respect to physical accessibility criteria for

Existing Facilities.
o Item 2: The extent to which individual instances of

inaccessible polling places or registration sites might be

actionable under the ADA.

Subsection 3(b) of the VAA (42 U.S.C. 1973ee-l) provides for

certain exceptions to the general requirement of ensuring that

ill polling places for Federal elections be accessible. These

exceptions are:

(1) in the case of an emergency, as determined by the chief

election officer of the State; or

(2) if the chief election officer of the State —

(A) determines that all potential polling places have

been surveyed and no such accessible place is

available, nor is the political subdivision able to

make one temporarily accessible, in the area

involved; and

(B) assures that any handicapped or elderly voter

assigned to an inaccessible polling place, upon

advance request of such voter (pursuant to

procedures established by the chief election

officer of the State)--

(i) will be assigned to an accessible polling

place, or

(ii) will be provided with an alternative means

for casting a ballot on the day of the

election.
In reviewing the DOJ regulations, we note that the

exceptions and procedures provided for in the VAA conform nicely

to the concept of "program accessibility1' enunciated in the

preamble to Section 35.150. Moreover, we note that Subsection

35.150(a) of the regulations provides that:

A public entity shall operate each service, program, or

activity so that the service, progran, or activity,

when viewed in its entirety [emphasis added], is

readily accessible to and usable by individuals with

disabilities. This paragraph does not—

(1) Necessarily require a public entity to make

each of i,ts existing facilities [emphasis

added] accessible to and usable by individuals

with disabilities.
o Iten 3: The nature of the auxiliary aids required for the

disabled.

Subsection 5(a) of the VAA (42 U.S.C 1973ee-3) requires

that:

Bach State shall make available registration and voting

aids for Federal elections for handicapped and elderly

individuals, including —

(1) instructions, printed in large type, conspicuously

displayed at each permanent registration facility

and each polling place; and

(2) information by telecommunications devices for the

deaf.

Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act (42 U.S.C 1973aa-6)

requires that:

Any voter who requires assistance to vote by reason of

blindness, disability, or inability to read or write may be

given assistance by a person of the voter's choice, other

than the voter's employer or agent of that employer or

officer or agent of the voter's union.

Section 35.161 of the 00J regulations requires

telecommunication devices (TDD's) for the hearing or speech

impaired vhile Subsection 35.160(b) states that:

(1) A public entity shall furnish appropriate auxiliary

aids and services where necessary to afford an

individual with a disability an equal opportunity to

participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, a service,

program, or activity conducted by a public entity.

(2) In determining what type of auxiliary aid and service

is necessary, a public entity shall give primary

_f consideration to the requests of the individual.

Subsection 35.160(b) is conditioned, however, by Section

35.135, which excludes purely personal devices and services, and

by Section 35.164, which excludes any action that a public entity

can demonstrate "would result in a fundamental alteration in the

nature of a service, program, or -activity or in undue financial

and administrative burdens."

50
Section 35.164 further provides that the head of the public

entity (or a designee) carries the responsibility of proving any

such burden in a written statement. And even so, it provides

that:

If an action required to comply with this subpart would

result in such an alteration or such burdens, a public

entity shall take any other action that would not result in

such an alteration or such burdens but would nevertheless

ensure that, to the maximum extent possible, individuals

with disabilities receive the benefits or services provided

by the public entity.

Subsection 3<c)U) of the VAA (42 U.S.C. 1973ee-l) provides

that:

each State shall report to -the Federal Election Commission,

in a manner to be determined by the Commission, the number

of accessible and inaccessible polling places in such state

on the date of the preceding general Federal election, and

the reasons for any instance of inaccessibility.
In practice, this requirement is net by local election officials

surveying their polling places on the basis of accessibility

criteria recommended either by this Commission or by the chief

election officer of the State.

Subsection 35.105(a) of the DOJ regulations states that:

X public entity shall, within one year of the effective

date of this part, evaluate its current services, policies,

and practices, and the effect thereof, that do not or may

not meet the requirements of this part and, to the extent

modification of any such services, policies, and practices

is required, the public entity shall proceed to make the

necessary modifications.

o Item 5: Miscellaneous Issues

(A) With regard to providing public notice, Subsection 5(c)

of the VAX (42 U.S.C. 1973ee-3) requires that:

The Chief election officer of each State shall provide

public notice, calculated to reach elderly and handicapped

voters, of the availability of aids under this section,

assistance under Section 308 of the Voting Rights Act of

1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973aa-6) , and the procedures for voting by

absentee ballot, not later than general public notice of

registration and voting is provided.

Concomitantly, Section 35.106 of the DOJ regulations states that:

A public entity shall make available to applicants,

participants, beneficiaries-, and other interested persons

information regarding the provisions of this part and its

applicability to the services, programs, or activities of

the public entity, and make such information available to
them in such manner aa the head of the entity finds

necessary to apprise such persons of the protections

against discrimination assured them by the Act and this

part.

Subsection 35.163(a) states that:

A public entity shall ensure that interested persons,

including persons with impaired vision or hearing, can

obtain information as to the existence and location of

accessible services, activities, and facilities.

(B) With regard to signage, we note that Subsection

35.163(b) of the DOJ regulations states that:

A public entity shall provide signage at all inaccessible

entrances to each of its facilities, directing users to an

accessible entrance or to a location at which they can

obtain information about accessible facilities. The

international symbol for accessibility shall be used at

each accessible entrance of a facility.

By the same token, item 9 in category II of the polling place

accessibility criteria recommended by this Commission requires

that there be "signs which identify the accessible route of

travel if that route of travel is different from the primary

route of travel to the building."

(C) With regard to special requirements imposed by the ADA

on public entities that employ 90 or more persons, we note that

Subsection 35.105(c) of the DOJ regulations states that:

A public entity that employs 50 or more persons shall, for

at least three years following completion of the selfevaluation, maintain on file and make available for public

inspection:
(1) A list of the interested persons consulted;

(2) A description of areas examined and any problems

identified; and

(3) A description of any modifications made.

Section 35.107 of the regulations further requires that

public entities employing 50 or more persons shall "designate at

least one employee to coordinate it efforts to comply with and

carry out it responsibilities under this part", "shall make

available to all interested individuals the name, office address,

and telephone number" of such designated employee, and "shall

adopt and publish grievance procedures providing for prompt and

equitable resolution of complaints alleging any action that would

ba prohibited by this part."

And finally. Subsection 35.150(d)(l) requires, in part,

that:

In the event that structural changes to facilities will be

undertaken to achieve program accessibility, a public

entity that employs 50 or more persons shall develop,

within six months of January 26, 1992, a transition plan

setting forth the steps necessary to complete such

changes.

and that such a plan must involve the participation of interested

persons and be made available to the public.
He hope this information fully responds to your request.

Should you have any other questions regarding these matters,

please do not hesitate to contact us.

cc: Representative Al Swift, Cbairaan

House Subcommittee on Elections

John Wodatch, Director

Office on the Americans with Disabilities Act

Department of Justice
APPENDIX D

National Disability Organizations

The Paralyzed Veterans of America

801 18th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20006

(202)872-1300

United Cerebral Palsy Associations

1660 L Street, Suite 700

Washington, D C 20036

(202)776-0406

The National Easter Seal Society

70 East Lake Street

Chicago, IL 60601

(312)726-6200

The National Organization of Disability

910 16th Street, NW

Suite 600

Washington, DC 20006

(202)293-1960

National Institute for Disability and

Rehabilitative Research

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20202

(202)732-1134

American Foundation for the Blind

15 West 16th Street

New York, NY 10011

(212)620-2000

National Rehabilitation Association

633 South Washington Street

Alexandria, VA 22314

(703) 386-0850

National Multiple Sclerosis Society

205 East 42nd Street

New York, NY 10017

(212)986-3240

Muscular Dystrophy Association

810 Seventh Avenue

New York, NY 10019

(212)586-0808

National Head Injury Foundation

P.O. Box 567

Framingham, MA 01701

(617)879-7473

56
APPENDIX E

Terms and Descriptions

ADA: These initials refer to the Americans with

Disabilities Act, a Federal civil rights law enacted

in 1990. The law extends civil rights protections

to persons with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodations, state and local services, and telecommunications.

Accessibility: This term refers to aspects or elements of the design, construction, or operation

of a facility that are intended to make the performance of basic activities easier and safer for as

many people as possible, including those with

disabilities. Accessible elements can be special

provisions for wheelchair users such as a ramp

or different provisions for a spectator who is deaf

such as a TDD telephone.

Amputation: Surgery resulting in a missing

body part such as an arm, leg, or hand.

utism: Autism is a developmental disability

'that significantly affects the way in which a person learns to communicate and develop social

relationships.

Auxiliary aids and services: This ADA phrase

refers to technologies or operational procedures

that facilitate effective communication. Examples

of auxiliary aids and services are assistive listening devices for individuals who are hard-ofhearing, sign language interpreters for individuals who are deaf, and descriptive services for individuals who are blind.

Blindness/Vision impairment: "Blindness" refers to a total loss of vision. "Vision impairment"

refers to partial vision, which may also be correctly called partial sight.

Cerebral palsy: Umbrella term for a group of

disabling conditions resulting from central nervous system damage. Do not assume that a person with cerebral palsy also a mental retardation; the two disabilities do not necessarily or

typically occur together.

Congenital disability: A disability that has existed since birth. Do not use the term "birth defect;" the word "defect" is not a synonym of "disability."

Deafness/Hard of hearing: "Deafness" refers

to a total loss of hearing. "Hard of hearing" refers to partial hearing loss and a range of hearing disabilities from slight to severe. People with

hearing impairments sometimes use American

Sign Language (ASL), a visual gestural language.

Developmental disability: Any mental or

physical disability manifested before the age of

22 that may continue indefinitely and result in

substantial limitation in three or more of the following life activities:

- self care

- receptive and expressive language

- learning

- mobility

- self-direction

- independent living

- economic sufficiency

Disability: A condition caused by accident,

trauma, genetics or disease which may limit a

person's mobility, hearing, vision, speech or mental function. Some people have one or more disabilities

Epilepsy: Umbrella term for various disorders

marked by disturbed electrical rhythms of the

central nervous system and typically manifested

by seizures-involuntary muscular contractions.

Handicap: A physical or attitudinal constraint

that is imposed upon a person, regardless of

whether or not that person has a disability.

Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines handicap as "to put to a disadvantage."

Learning disability: A disorder in one or more

of the basic psychological processes involved in

understanding or in using spoken or written language, which may affect one's ability to listen,

think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathemati57
cal calculations. The term includes such conditions as perceptual handicaps, brain injury,

minimal brain disfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.

Mental Illness/Mental disorder: Disturbances of thinking, feeling and behaving that

may be due to physical or psychological factors.

Do not use terms such as "mentally deranged,"

"deviant" or "crazy." "Mental disorder" is a more

comprehensive term that describes any of the

recognizable forms of mental illness or severe

mental disorders. These specific forms include

"schizophrenia," "psychosis," "mania," or "depression." Such terms have well-defined clinical

meaning and should not be used casually. Also,

people are not "schizophrenics," but should be

described as persons with "schizophrenia."

Paraplegia/Hemiplegia/Quadriplegia:

"Paraplegia" refers to paralysis of the lower half

of the body involving the partial or total loss of

function of both legs. "Hemiplegia" refers to full

or partial paralysis of one side of the body caused

by brain damage most often due to disease,

trauma, or stroke. "Quadriplegia" refers to paralysis of the body involving partial or total loss

of function in both arms and both legs.

Personal attendants: Attendants help people

with some types of disabilities in a wide range

of difficult activities including eating, mobility,

and toileting. An attendant may be a paid professional employee or a friend or relative. Attendants should be allowed to accompany people

with disabilities in order to provide necessary

assistance in the polling booth.

Service animals: Seeing eye dogs and other

animals that are used to assist individuals with

disabilities are called service animals. These

animals are permitted to accompany their owner

into any polling place.

pairment does not mean that there is a problem

in hearing or in mental ability.

TDD: These initials refer to a Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (also called text telephones). These devices allow the transmission of

written text over telephone lines through use of

a special relay system. TDD units can be either

portable equipment that are used in conjunction

with conventional telephones or special keyboards that are built-in to a public pay telephone.

Most venues will have TDD's available.

Speech impairment: Limited or difficult

speech patterns. The presence of a speech im-
Other titles in our Innovations series in include:

• Vol 1: The Voting Authority Card

• Vol 2: Optical Scanning Technology for Purposes other than

Ballot Counting

• Vol 3: Election Signature Retrieval Systems

• Vol 4: Using NCOA Files for Verifying Voter Registration Lists

• Vol 5: Agency Voter Registration Programs

• Vol 6: Motor Voter Registration Programs

• Vol 7: Mail Registration Programs

Vol 8: Election Document Retention in an Age of High Technology

Vol 9: Early Voting

Vol 10: Ballot Security and Accountability

Vol 11: All-Mail-Ballot Elections

Vol 12: The Electronic Transmission of Election Materials

Vol 13: Simplifying Election Forms and Materials

Vol 14: Recruiting Poll Workers
For information about other

Innovations in Election Administration

contact

Office of Election Administration

Federal Election Commission

999 E. Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20463

Toll Free 800/424-9530

Direct 202/219-3670

FAX 202/219-8500

e-mail bkimberling@fec.gov

FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20463

Official Business

Penalty for Private

Use, $300

Bulk Rate Mail

Postage and Fees Paid

Federal Election Commission

Permit Number G-31