ID: An accessible parking sign sits in front of a scenic background of clouds and trees. (PondShots/Adobe Stock)
In Michigan and across the country, nearly 25% of the population encounters challenges in voting and accessing the polls.
The Carter Center and Detroit Disability Power audited 261 polling locations in metro Detroit last election, and found just 16% of them fully accessible.
Dessa Cosma, executive director of the group Detroit Disability Power, said many polling locations do not have accessible parking, a ramp, clear signage, accessible doors or a direct travel path even just to enter the building. Once inside there are further challenges.
"No wheelchair-height voting booth or no functional voter access terminal which is the accessible voting machine that is required by law to be available and usable at all poling locations in the country," Cosma pointed out.
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