Source: United States Department of Justice News
PORTLAND, Maine: The U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement agreement with the Town of Limerick to resolve allegations that the town excluded a resident with a disability from voting, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
The settlement agreement resolves an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) complaint filed by a voter with a mobility impairment who alleged that he was unable to vote at Limerick’s annual town meeting. The voter alleged that he was told that the first floor of Limerick Town Hall was full, and he would need to vote on the second floor which he was unable to access.
Under the ADA, state and local governmental entities may not exclude individuals with disabilities from participating in a voting program. State and local government entities must also make reasonable modifications to ensure that voters with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in voting programs unless the modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of the voting program.
Under the settlement agreement, Limerick has agreed to make certain modifications to improve accessibility at its town hall for persons with mobility impairments. In addition, the town agreed to adopt a policy for program accessibility to ensure that all services, programs and activities held at the town hall are readily accessible to and usable by persons with mobility impairments.
“It’s noteworthy that this agreement comes today, on National Voter Registration Day,” McElwee said. “The freedom to participate in elections is a fundamental right, and all voters should and must have an equal opportunity to participate in the voting process. The remedial measures agreed to by Limerick will give individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in town voting, as required by the ADA. I hope that other cities and towns will proactively comply with this important civil rights law.”
The Town of Limerick cooperated with the U.S. Attorney’s Office during its investigation.
Individuals in Maine who believe their civil rights may have been violated may submit their complaints by accessing https://civilrights.justice.gov/. For more information on the ADA, or to access publications available to assist entities in complying with the ADA, visit ada.gov or call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 1-800-514-0301 or 1-800-514-0383 (TDD).
# # #