Federal Court orders NYC Board of Elections to eliminate voting barriers for disabled
Disability community applauds new plan
In a major victory for New Yorkers with disabilities who use wheelchairs and scooters or have vision impairments, Federal Judge Deborah Batts ordered the Board of Elections (BOE) to adopt a barrier removal plan proven effective in eliminating barriers to voting at poll sites for people with disabilities.
With the 2012 Presidential Election only weeks away, the court’s intervention will ease the ability for disabled persons to vote in the upcoming election.
The court decision orders the BOE to adopt a plan proposed by plaintiffs and the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). Similar plans have been successful in cities such as Philadelphia, which contains architectural barriers resulting from age and density of construction like those found in New York City.