# Elections and the Disabled — I need to vent **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 13, 2020, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elections-and-the-disabled-i-need-to-vent/849413 "2020-03-13T14:56:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 1
**Author:** ![ASGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@ASGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elections-and-the-disabled-i-need-to-vent/849413/1 "2020-03-13T14:56:56Z")
I volunteer as a County precinct worker. I am an Inspector. An Inspector is nominally in charge of a Precinct Board of from three to five Clerks. I have been working elections since 2006. That turns out to be fifteen elections, counting the March 3 California Presidential Primary. [vent] In the last election my precinct, and another, was relocated to a new medical facility. We were relocated because our former location, the recently remodelled City Hall, which was remodelled to _be_ compliant with Americans With Disability Act (ADA), was not _sufficiently_ ADA compliant according to California State Election regulations. During the election we did not have a _single_ voter needing ADA assistance. We did have ten or so voters arrive with walkers. And some of them asked if they could sit down while voting. We have a (non-ADA required) table and chair set up for that purpose. I wrote up an after action report to the Elections Department. Here is the pertinent snippet: It’s _astounding_ how much money, time and effort the Elections Department and we precinct workers devote accommodating disabled voters, who represent an _infinitesimal_ part of the voting population. We had ten or so voters come in using walkers. A few of them needed to sit down while they voted. None of them needed the Touch Writer [an ADA device]. None of them needed an ADA vothing booth. Just a place to sit down while they voted. No exotic equipment or services was needed. Machines, voting booths, signage, location, parking. How \*#!@%$ hard is it to get someplace and make marks on a piece of paper? I thought the ADA was supposed to help disabled folks _mainstream_ into society, not become an _elite_ part of it. Holy Toledo! I get that being disabled is difficult. But I just don’t grasp the hardship that is voting. Jesus. Vote by mail. If you feel the physical voting experience is necessary get someone to help you come in and vote. [/vent] I welcome comments from disabled voters. Educate me why my Elections Department and my Board need to spend so much money, time and effort accommodating you, when you represent a small part of the voting population. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elections-and-the-disabled-i-need-to-vent/849413)._