Election authorities wouldn't dream of placing a polling station at the top of a rugged mountain, miles from the nearest village. Yet, for a wheelchair user or an elderly voter who uses a walker, a second floor polling station is just as inaccessible as that mountain. As more and more disabled citizens seek to take their place in society, and as society's age, public agencies need to put into place strategies that are inclusive and that promote full and equal participation.
In selecting polling stations, election authorities should envision having level access from the curbside outside of the polling station all the way inside the building to the polling booth itself. And that polling booth should be at table height, reachable by someone using a wheelchair. At an absolute minimum, all polling stations should be on the ground floor and election authorities should consult with their local disability organizations to develop standards for selecting polling stations.
Many industrialized nations have established guidelines for polling station design, and it is common to see election sites with temporary and/or permanent ramps to ensure easy access. It is also becoming increasingly common to see polling sites in homes for the elderly, at hospitals, and in other settings where elderly or disabled people gather.
A few developing nations have begun to address the issue of polling place accessibility. The best of these efforts begins with a commitment to have ground floor voting only, and working toward having ramped entrances to all polling stations.
