Over a four-month period, Disability Rights Iowa (DRI) reviewed the external accessibility of 144 polling places across Iowa’s 99 counties.
DRI reviewed the accessibility of polling place parking lots, pathways and entrances.
When issues with accessible paring, pathways, and entrances occur, elections officials use temporary fixes on Election Day.
Parking
Is there an adequate number of clearly marked accessible parking spots?
Yes: A majority of the polling places DRI reviewed have an appropriate number of accessible parking spots.
No or Other: One-fifth of the polling places had issues with accessible parking. Issues included:
- Not enough accessible spots
- Parking spots were not level
- Parking lot was entirely gravel
Pathway
Is there a smooth, clear pathway from parking to the entrance?
Yes: Most polling places DRI reviewed have a smooth pathway.
No: One-fifth had broken concrete, objects in the way, or a steep slope on the path.
Entrance: Threshold
Is there a threshold that is more than ½ inch high without a bevel?
Yes: Less than 20% of entryways were accessible to Iowans with mobility disabilities.
No: Most entrances had tall thresholds. This creates a barrier to entry for Iowans with mobility disabilities.
Entrance: Location
Is the accessible entrance separate from the general entrance?
Yes: Some polling places had the accessible entrance separate from the main entrance.
No: The majority of main entrances were also the accessible entrance.
If these barriers exist on Election Day, election officials will use temporary fixes to address them.
Polling place accessibility is required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). DRI used the ADA polling place checklist to review the locations. Find the checklist here: https://www.ada.gov/resources/polling-places-checklist/
