The VOTE! Forum

The Tennessee Disability Coalition, in conjunction with the Memphis Center for Independent Living, sponsored the VOTE! Access Forum, February 5th, at the Memphis/Shelby County Public Library and Information Center. The forum was held to help educate the general public, as well as the election commission, on accessibility issues.

The forum consisted of a panel of voters with disabilities and Election Commissioner O. C. Pleasant. The panel included Teena Murphy, Harry Calder, Sam Ware, and Kevin Lofton, all members of both the Barrier Free Memphis Society and ADAPT. The forum’s moderators were Lucy Du and Joanne Rich, both of the Tennessee Disability Coalition, and Pamela Martin, of MCIL.

Ms. Rich opened the forum with an introduction and an explanation of both the Tennessee Disability Coalition and the VOTE! project. She explained how the Coalition worked with different groups throughout the state to facilitate accessibility for voters with disabilities. She was followed by Mr. Pleasant, who spoke briefly about the efforts made by the commission to insure that voters with disabilities would have equal access to voting. He spoke of one option, absentee voting, that helps facilitate voting for some. At a later point in the meeting, he also spoke of how a request can be made for accommodation, such as the providing of pollsters on site. He also briefly spoke of accessible voting machines. Ms. Martin then began to facilitate the forum, in which Mr. Pleasant, of the Shelby County Election Commission, then heard testimonials from each member of the panel. They each described and explained the difficulties that they had encountered as they tried to exercise their right to vote. Although they succeeed in their attempts to vote, they pointed out that others may be discouraged.

Teena Murphy related how her paratransit driver was unable to find the accessible entrance to her voting site. She explained that when the location of her usual voting facility was changed, no one informed MATA’s paratransit drivers of either the change, or of the new location. Not only did her driver have difficulties in finding the new location, he had to search for its accessible entrance. Ms. Murphy had to experience a long and tedious delay before she could vote. 

Kevin Lofton expressed his concern for a lack of privacy. Another person must accompany him throughout the whole process because of his blindness. It is a process that Mr. Lofton knows can be done in privacy with the proper equipment. 

Harry Calder told how he had to wait outside the voting site until someone could be located to unlock the accessible entrance door for him. The problem was compounded by his having to traverse a ramp that did not meet ADA standards. It was very steep and he was in danger of tipping. Mr. Calder uses a motorized chair. The ramp would, of course, be even more difficult for a manual chair user.

Sam Ware emphasized how too many people with disabilities know too little about recourses and options that are available to help them overcome accessibility problems. Mr. Ware suggested that the commission could do more to inform members of the disability community of accommodations that are available to meet their needs. He also spoke of the need for better training for poll workers, especially in ways of providing accommodations and equipment that would improve voting accessibility. 

Mr. Pleasant acknowledged all of the panelists’ observations. Participating audience members Betty Anderson, president of the Barrier Free Memphis Society and Bob Gannon, president of American Disabilities Consultants, expressed their concerns that ADA standards were not being met in a number of ways, such as improperly graded ramps and lack of accessible restrooms. Mr. Pleasant concurred that members of the commission simply knew less than they should about issues that affect people with disabilities. Carlene Leaper, of the Mid South Arc, asked if there were persons with disability serving on the commission. Mr. Pleasant expressed his regret that there were none, and extended an invitation for members of the disability community to, at least, attend and participate in commission meetings.

Mr. Pleasant expressed a desire and a willingness to work with the Memphis Center for Independent Living, in order to educate not only the commission, but the poll workers as well. He was especially receptive to the idea of seminars conducted by staff members from MCIL, and from American Disabilities Consultants, which is a company that provides ADA minimum requirements consultation.

The “icing on the cake” to a very successful and productive forum was the news that a bill that would fund accommodations efforts such as accessible voting machines for those who are blind or have vision impairments was passed only days after the forum; a happy coincidence, since the very same bill was discussed at the forum. At that time, Mr. Pleasant had expressed his regrets that the bill had not been passed, and that funds for accommodations and improvements that would enhance accessibility were scarce.

Organizers of the forum, including Rosemary McCellum of the Mid South Arc, as well as the participants from MCIL and the TDC were pleased with the number of interested citizens who attended the forum, and were especially pleased that Kevin A. Gallagher, Assistant to Shelby County Mayor A. C. Wharton was in the audience. Mr. Gallagher expressed a willingness to help the Memphis Center for Independent Living establish a dialogue and a good working relationship with the Shelby County Mayor’s office.

- Robert Morris