[blindlaw] Press Release: Justice Department Reaches Agreement With Concord, New Hampshire, DOJ, Feb 26 2019

[Nightingale, Noel]

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-reaches-agreement-concord-new-hampshire-ensure-accessible-voting-machines

Justice Department Reaches Agreement With Concord, New Hampshire, to Ensure Accessible Voting Machines in City Elections for Voters With Disabilities
Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs
February 26, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Justice Department today reached an agreement with the city of Concord, New Hampshire, to resolve a complaint alleging that the city violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to provide an accessible ballot to a voter who is blind.

Under the agreement, the city of Concord will provide voting machines that are accessible to voters who are blind or visually impaired.  The city will have the accessible machines at its polling places starting in the November 2019 city election.  In addition, the city will provide training to poll workers on the use of the accessible voting machines and will develop educational materials regarding the availability of the machines in city elections.

"Through this settlement, the city of Concord will ensure that voting in city elections is accessible to voters who are blind or visually impaired," said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. "We commend the city's commitment to guaranteeing that voters with disabilities have equal access to voting."

This settlement is part of the Department of Justice's ADA Voting Initiative, which protects the voting rights of individuals with disabilities. A hallmark of the ADA Voting Initiative is its collaboration with jurisdictions to ensure accessibility to both polling places and the ballot.

Those interested in finding out more about this settlement or the ADA may call the Justice Department's toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD), or access its ADA website at www.ada.gov. ADA complaints may be filed online at http://www.ada.gov/complaint/.

Topic(s): Civil Rights

Component(s):
Civil Rights Division
Civil Rights - Disability Rights Section
Civil Rights - Voting Section

Press Release Number: 19-166