Ohio study finds many polling places with access problems

Ohio is a swing state, you know.

From the Columbus Dispatch in Ohio:

Dozens of Franklin County polling sites failed to meet accessibility standards for voters who need wheelchairs or walkers or have other disabilities, according to a study that Ohio State University students undertook this summer. . . .

The study, conducted from June through September, says that only 10 percent of the sites reviewed met all 63 items the Ohio secretary of state's office uses to determine whether polling sites meet the Americans with Disabilities Act and state standards.

Graduate occupational-therapy students at Ohio State, working with the Ohio Legal Rights Service, randomly selected 217 of 533 polling sites in the county to study.

They found that 22 percent did not have a fully accessible entrance, only 25 percent have an adequate number of accessible parking spaces, and 49 percent have no parking space for a wheelchair van.

Is your poll site accessible?

Here are some tips from the article's sidebar, with a few additions from me:

Voting-day tips:

• Call your polling place and ask about parking or which entrance is the most accessible. You can get that number by looking up your state or county elections office -- many have websites and toll-free numbers.

• Consider avoiding peak voting times, especially if you have difficulty standing for a long time. Midmorning is usually a slower period.

• Consider taking a friend to assist you.

• Consider bringing a lightweight portable stool or lawn chair if standing is tiring or painful. Also consider bringing a bottle of water and snack to help you wait in line comfortably.

• Consider bringing a sample ballot you've already filled out, or a list of your chosen candidates and positions on initiatives to help you fill out your official ballot more quickly.

For Ohio voters, especially those in Franklin County:

• Consider voting at Veterans Memorial, 300 W. Broad St. It is fully accessible to the disabled, although parking is a distance from the polling site.

• Franklin County voters who need assistance once they get to a polling place (transportation not available) can call 614-466-7264 or 1-800-282-9181. A team of occupational-therapy students from Ohio State University will arrive to help them.

• Call the same numbers to file a complaint about lack of access to a polling place.