HAYS COUNTY, Texas – Hays County has reached an agreement with the United States following an investigation into providing accessible polling for voters with disabilities.
According to U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza, Hays County is now complying with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination based on disability by local or state governments in any of their services.
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In 2023, the Department of Justice visited 14 polling places during the runoff election to investigate their level of accessibility. The United States reported that certain barriers made the polling places inaccessible to voters with disabilities.
These barriers included a lack of parking, steeply sloped ramps (some without handrails), numerous level changes, protruding objects, and no knee and toe clearance at otherwise accessible voting machines.
“The right to vote is a cornerstone of our democracy and must not be diminished or restricted,” said Esparza. “People with disabilities are entitled to equal opportunity and full inclusion at the ballot box.”
Under the settlement, Hays County will work with an accessibility expert and an evaluation team to ensure each polling place, now and in the future, meets ADA guidelines. All poll workers and election staff will also be trained on ADA requirements.
“Under this agreement, eligible voters with disabilities in Hays County will be able to exercise their fundamental right to vote and participate in our democracy. Our office will continue working to ensure that all eligible Americans have access to the ballot.” said Esparza.
For more information about the ADA, visit www.ada.gov, or call the Department of Justice’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TDD). Information about filing a complaint, including instructions for filing a complaint online, can be found here.
