We Can't Vote!

People with disabilities left out of the process

On January 13, 2004 the U.S. Supreme Court will hear the appeal of a case where a Tennessee citizen was arrested because he uses a wheelchair and could not access the second-floor courtroom. The following week, Tennessee starts early voting yet the polling sites are not accessible to people with disabilities.

"I went to a polling site a few months ago during an actual polling day, and the ramp was too steep. Everybody was trying to help push me up, but they shouldn't have to touch me in order for me to vote," said Alexander. "Then when I tried to get in the doors, I couldn't get my chair inside because they only had 24-inch doorways. I couldn't even get into the polling site."

The Memphis Center for Independent Living surveyed 40 of the 233 polling sites in the city and not one of the 40 sites surveyed was in compliance with accessibility guidelines. "Every one of them had some issue," said Randy Alexander who coordinated the survey.

Almost half of the sites (43%) had stairs, and over half the sites had inappropriate parking (65%). Necessary handrails were not installed at 45% of the sites and a third of the polling places did not have adequate doors (30%).