Iowa Administrative Code › Agency 721 - Secretary of State › Division II - Elections › Chapter 21 - Election Forms and Instructions › Rule 721-21.50 - Polling Place Accessibility Standards

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 3, July 24, 2024
(1)
Inspection required.
Before any building may be designated for
				use as a polling place, the county commissioner of elections or the
				commissioner's designee shall inspect the building to determine whether it is
				accessible to persons with disabilities.
(2)
Frequency of inspection.
Polling places that have been inspected using the Polling Place Accessibility
				Survey Form prescribed in subrule 21.50(4) shall be reinspected if structural
				changes are made to the building or if the location of the polling place inside
				the building is changed.
(3)
Review of accessibility.
Not less than 90 days before each
				primary election, the commissioner shall determine whether each polling place
				needs to be reinspected.
(4)
Standards for determining polling place accessibility.
The
				survey form available on the state commissioner's Web site titled "Polling
				Place Accessibility Survey" shall be used to evaluate polling places for
				accessibility to persons with disabilities.
The term "off-street parking" used in the polling place
				  accessibility survey means parking places in lots separated from the street and
				  includes angle parking along the street if the accessible route from the
				  parking place to the polling place is entirely out of the path of traffic.
				  Parking arrangements that require either the driver or passengers of the
				  vehicle to go into the traveled part of the street are not accessible.
An access aisle at street level that is at least 60 inches
				  wide and the same length as each accessible parking space shall be provided. An
				  accessible public sidewalk curb ramp shall connect the access aisle to the
				  continuous passage to the polling place. At least one parking place shall be
				  van-accessible with a 96-inch access aisle connected to the continuous passage
				  to the polling place by an accessible public sidewalk curb ramp. Two accessible
				  parking spaces may share a common access aisle.
(5)
Temporary waiver of accessibility
				requirements.
Notwithstanding the waiver provisions of 721-Chapter 10,
				if the county commissioner is unable to provide an accessible polling place for
				any precinct, the commissioner shall apply for a temporary waiver of
				accessibility requirements pursuant to this subrule. Applications shall be
				filed with the secretary of state not later than 60 days before the date of any
				scheduled election. If a waiver is granted, it shall be valid for two years
				from the date of approval by the secretary of state.
a. Each application shall include the
				following documents:
(1) Application for
				Temporary Waiver of Accessibility Requirements.
(2) A copy of the Polling Place Accessibility
				Survey Form for the polling place to be used.
(3) A copy of the Polling Place Accessibility
				Survey Form for any other buildings that were surveyed and rejected as possible
				polling place sites for the precinct.