Polling Centers Section 2 Most polling is held in public buildings, such as schools and community centers. These buildings should already be accessible to persons with disabilities. However, in many countries this is often not the case. EMBs and DPOs could benefit from training on how to identify barriers in polling centers and make improvements to ensure buildings are more accessible. Barriers can be found inside (such as low lighting) or outside (such as stairs as the only means to enter the facility). Many DPOs around the world have designed creative solutions to improve polling station accessibility. In 2012, the Georgian Coalition for Independent Living conducted a door-to-door survey to determine where persons with disabilities live in the country. They then submitted this information to the EMB to assist with selection of polling centers and distribution of Voter being interviewed by media outside of a Georgian assistive devices. polling center. In 2009, the Lebanese Physical Handicap Union and IFES partnered with a geographic information system (GIS) firm to conduct a mapping activity to determine the locations of inaccessible polling centers and then entered this information into a database that was shared with the government and posted online. The project assessed polling stations against six basic standards of accessibility, including parking, entrances and availability of restrooms. As a result of this effort, the government provided funding to make 18 buildings accessible before the election. In Armenia, a 2007 campaign to build ramps to polling stations was accompanied by a voter education campaign targeting voters with and without disabilities. Paros, a local DPO, produced a video36 that highlights improvements made and the need for additional ramps. As a result of this campaign, a political party funded the construction of additional ramps. Locations were selected by the DPO to ensure they were not just in areas where that political party had a stronghold.37 38 Good Practice The Norwegian Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion published a guide for municipalities on how to make elections accessible. It includes a checklist that details aspects of both accessible information and infrastructure.36 The U.S. Department of Justice has developed a checklist for polling places that provides guidelines on how to ensure all aspects of a polling location are accessible, including parking, sidewalks, entrances, hallways and the voting room itself.37 36 International Foundation for Electoral Systems. Armenia: Voters with Disabilities PSA. YouTube. 2010. <http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXvLtnAHaOI&noredirect=1>. 37  “Accessibility to Elections: Guide for the Municipalities.” Helsedirektoratet. The Norwegian Directorate of Health. <http://helsedirektoratet.no/publikasjoner/accessibility-to-elections-guide-for-the-municipalities/ Publikasjoner/accessibility-to-elections-guide-for-the-municipalities.pdf>. 38 United States Department of Justice. ADA Checklist for Polling Places. 2004. <http://www.ada.gov/votingck.htm>. Equal Access: How to Include Persons with Disabilities in Elections and Political Processes 43