The election season is coming to a close. While many voters said their voting process was simple– others in the disability community still face barriers when casting their ballot.
When Amy Dake wanted to vote early with her partner– barriers ranging from the distance to the voting sites–or navigating streets stopped them from going.
“I couldn't go for early voting because the early voting was not accessible for me……additional 400 steps that I'm not capable of taking, whereas my standard polling place was accessible for me,” she said.
For Dake’s partner — a wheelchair user — even a crack in a sidewalk can prevent him from getting to the polling site he needs to be at.
“He can't navigate the street at all, really, because we've got the humps in the street which can cause a wheelchair to tip over, and then on top of that, we've got sidewalks that are so uneven that you can't pass them,” Dake said
While some face issues outside the polls, some buffers continue to persist when you’re indoors casting your ballot too.
Todd Vaarwerk, the chief policy officer for Western New York Independent Living, noticed one voter walking in before had an issue with a ballot from an autoMARK– or accessible voting machine. He says the automark machines are over 15 years old.
“ You're supposed to update the ballot marking and the voting devices so that people with disabilities have an equal chance to vote,” he said.
Vaarwerk explained that temporary solutions, like accessible parking, are often implemented by the Erie County Board of Elections. But he stressed that long-term solutions can happen when voters get involved and report an issue.