A recent federal lawmaker report finds that senior citizens and individuals with disabilities have a difficult time voting –– consequences of identification laws, closure of voting locations, inaccessible polling places and limits on early voting and absentee ballots.
But Dinah Gallegos, director of McKean County Elections, disagrees, at least in part, with findings in a report released Thursday. The report came from U.S. senators Bob Casey, D-Pa., ranking member of the Special Committee on Aging, and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., ranking member of the Committee on Rules and Administration.
“I can tell you I do not feel we have any accessibility issues in McKean County,” she said. “Pennsylvania law requires a voter to show ID only if it is the first time they are voting in their precinct or if they have a status of ‘Inactive.’”
Since she has been in office –– the past four years –– no polling places have been shut down, Gallegos said.
The report states that information from the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that 17 percent of the polling places examined during the 2016 election were fully accessible.
“Most polling places GAO examined had one or more impediments from parking to the voting area and had accessible voting stations that could impede private and independent voting,” according to a statement from Casey’s office.
Gallegos isn’t alone in her thoughts. Misty Lupro of the Elections/Voter Registration office in Cameron County, said the polling places in the county are Americans with Disabilities Act accessible.
“Potter County has accessible polling places for voters per (Help America Vote Act). We also have 50 or more voters who are on our permanent absentee listing due to age, illness, medical conditions, etc.,” said Sandra Lewis, who heads the Potter County Voter Registration/Elections office.
And in McKean County, “If a voter has a health issue that prevents them from going to the polls, they are more than welcome to request an absentee ballot. Unfortunately, for this election the last day to apply for an absentee ballot has passed,” Gallegos said. The general election is Tuesday.
Casey called the right to vote one of the primary pillars of American democracy, but it’s under threat for millions of older Americans and individuals with disabilities across the United States.
“This report brings awareness to the unique challenges that seniors face in exercising their constitutional right. We must work to ensure that all Americans have equal access to the voting booth,” he said.
