Vicki McGahee

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• Vicki McGahee
• PAVA Coordinator

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Polling Place Accessibility

• Polling Place Accessibility Survey
• Data collection
• Survey results
• Post survey

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Polling Place Accessibility Survey

• Basic accessible features needed by voters with
  disabilities
• Parking
• Entrance to the polling place
• Voting area
• Curbside voting
• Availability of assistance
• Accessible ballots

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SC DisAbility Voting Coalition

• A non-partisan coalition dedicated to increasing
  the numbers of people with disabilities who vote
  through voter education and improved access to
  the voting process

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• More than 36 member organizations
• Chaired by PA
• AARP
• League of Women Voters
• SC Association of the Deaf
• SC Autism Society
• The ARC of SC
• National Alliance on Mental Illness
• Office of the Governor DD Council
• United Way
• Lt. Governors Office on Aging
• SC Special Olympics
• Statewide Independent Living Council
• USC Center for Disability Resources
• SC Assistive Technology Program

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Accessibility Survey

• SC DisAbility Voting Coalition
• United Way
• PAs website - Pandasc.org
• Facebook
• Surveymonkey

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Accessibility Survey

• 296 surveys completed
• 23 (50) of the 46 counties
• 53 (18) were completed by voters with
  disabilities

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Parking

• 76 - Accessible parking spaces with visible
  signs
• 15 - No accessible parking spaces
• 25 - No accessible parking spaces for vans
• 20 - Accessible parking spaces not on the
  shortest route

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Curbside Voting

• 37 - No sign
• 44 - Not monitored

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Access to the Polling Place

• 82 - No sign at polling place and one was needed
• 22 - Doorways were not wide enough
• 11 - No clear and level route of travel
• 13 - Ramp was not stable, was too steep, and did
  not have handrails

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Access to Voting Area

• 32 - No place to rest
• 22 - No information at eye level
• 12 - Path of travel not free from barriers
• 12 - Area not arranged for easy movement
• 9 - Voting area not clear

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Additional Concerns

• Access to assistance
• Access to accessible formats

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We all need to ensure

• Poll workers have the training needed to work
  effectively with all voters, especially people
  with disabilities.
• Polling places are accessible to all voters
  from the parking lot to the voting machines.
• Curbside voting is implemented consistently at
  all precincts and poll workers are provided
  needed training on the implementation.
• Every precinct has the required number of poll
  workers to assist all voters.

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Since Election Day

• Released PA report 12/10/12
• Meetings with SC Election Commission
• SC DisAbility Voting Coalition
• Curbside Voting
• Early Voting

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• Vicki McGahee
• PAVA Coordinator
• 3710 Landmark Drive, Suite 208
• Columbia, SC 29204
• 803-217-6702 (office)
• 866-275-7273 (toll-free)
• 866-232-4525 (TTY)
• mcgahee_at_pandasc.org