COLUMBIA, SC (December 9, 2013) – On Tuesday, November 5, 2013 Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities Inc. (P&A) and volunteers completed polling place accessibility surveys at 94 percent of the precincts in the City of Columbia, Blythewood, Irmo, Forest Acres, and unincorporated areas of Richland County. The surveys evaluated whether a polling place has basic accessibility features needed by voters with disabilities. As detailed in the P&A report, the major issues impacting voters with disabilities included access to accessible ballots, curbside voting, voting areas, and parking.
Today P&A issues its report (Polling Place Accessibility Survey: Ensuring Access for Voters with Disabilities – Richland County) documenting these problems. The report outlines changes that are needed in the South Carolina voting process to assure that all voters, including voters with disabilities, can exercise the right to vote privately and independently.
“In South Carolina equal access to voting is not provided to many voters with disabilities. This is not just an issue in Richland County. Voters with disabilities statewide face barriers,” said Gloria Prevost, Executive Director of P&A. “The state has a duty to ensure all South Carolinians are provided the opportunity to vote.”
P&A’s Polling Place Accessibility report shows the need to ensure that:
• Poll workers have the training needed to work effectively with all voters, especially people with disabilities.
• Polling places are accessible to all voters, especially people with disabilities – from the parking lot to the voting machines.
• Curbside voting is implemented consistently at all precincts and poll workers are provided adequate training.
• Every precinct has the required number of poll workers to assist all voters.
Only then can all people with disabilities exercise the right to vote privately and independently.
To download and view the entire report visit P&A’s website, pandasc.org, or P&A’s Facebook,facebook.com/pandasc
About Protection & Advocacy for People with Disabilities, Inc.
Established in 1977 as the protection and advocacy system for the State of South Carolina, P&A is mandated by state and federal law to protect the rights of people with disabilities in South Carolina. P&A is a private, non-profit corporation governed by a volunteer board of directors. As required by federal law, P&A is independent of all agencies that provide treatment or other services to people with disabilities.
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(Editor’s Note: The above communication is a news release from an advocacy group and does not necessarily reflect the editorial position of FITSNews.com. To submit your letter, news release, email blast, media advisory or issues statement for publication, click here).
3 comments
I’ve known some disabled folks in Richland County and haven’t really heard of any complaints regarding access to voting machines. Strange.
I’ve been voting in this county since 1980. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen poll workers carrying ballots and later, voting machines to autos or vans, or otherwise accommodating those in walkers, wheelchairs, etc. by moving them expeditiously to the front of the line.
At my poll, in one of Columbia’s most affluent neighborhoods there is limited parking for both able and disabled. You can bet, however, the disabled are amply taken care of by the poll workers, usually with the assistance and courtesy of able voters and poll workers.
Prior to voting in that precinct in Richland County, I voted in a rural county from 1970 until moving to Richland. In fact, I ran the precinct in the rural county. We always made sure the disabled could vote; that was before laws mandated it.
Also, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen the disabled, the elderly, and others with limitations make the supreme effort to make sure they register their voting preferences at the ballot box. It always aggravates me when I hear those who moan and groan but refuse to vote.
One can’t satisfy all of the mouthbreathers despite best effors.
Very clearly the intellectually-disabled vote early, often, and in vast numbers.