How Marion County ensures voting access for people with physical challenges
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — From the time the polls open until the polls close, at least one Marion County sheriff’s deputy and an election worker walk the lines looking for people who need help getting inside.
Suzanne Hughes uses a walker to get around in public. On Monday morning, much to her surprise, when she pulled up to the City-County Building to vote, there were people waiting at the curb to make sure she got inside without any issues.
“They told me I didn’t have to wait in line, and they just brought me straight in and took me straight into the polls,” said Hughes.
The wait to get inside the City-County Building to vote Monday morning was about 45 minutes. The line was a little slower due to COVID-19 health restrictions.
“We are doing our best to go through the lines during early voting and pull people that have difficulty standing and walking,” said Russell Hollis of the Marion County Clerk’s Office.
Voters with physical limitations were escorted to the front of the line by a sheriff’s deputy or election worker. Marion County has expanded these accommodations to families with small children.
Every single voting machine in use for early voting in the Marion County Clerk’s Office is completely handicapped-accessible.
These
machines are typically spread throughout the county. Every polling location is
required by federal law to have at least one fully accessible voting machine.
“For someone that is able to see but has a visual impairment, they can make the text on the screen larger. They can also darken the contrast if the screen is too bright for them,” said Hollis.
Voters with
physical impairments can bring a family member or friend to assist them with
the process. Every clerk’s office in Indiana is also required to provide voters
with assistance if needed.
“All of our express vote touchscreen voting machines are ADA-accessible a voter who is blind can actually use headphones; the voting machine will read the selections on the screen to the voter,” said Hollis.
Before any polling location can open the facility, operators must complete an ADA checklist.
The Help America Vote Act requires every polling location to have at least one fully accessible voting machine. If you feel you have been denied access because of a lack of equipment, you need to call the Indiana secretary of state, the Indiana Election Commission and your county clerk’s office.