OCTOBER 7, 2005

Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land today announced that two Kent County communities will receive a total of nearly $27,000 to improve polling place access for voters with disabilities.

Statewide, nearly $400,000 will be distributed under the first grant award phase of Michigan’s "Improving Access for All" program. The funds will reimburse communities for their precinct enhancements. Kent County’s grants are among the first to be finalized.

Grand Rapids City Clerk Terri Hegarty joined Land in the announcement.

"The concept of one person, one vote is the foundation of our democracy," said Land, Michigan’s chief election officer. "Too often, members of the disability community face barriers to voting because of the physical condition of some precincts.

"While Michigan communities want to do the right thing, efforts to improve their polling places are often hampered by limited budgets. This program eases that burden by reimbursing our local partners for making the upgrades. I’m pleased with the enthusiastic assistance of

Terri Hegarty and other Kent County leaders, as well as Michigan’s disability community. Their unyielding commitment to fairness ensures access for all."

The Kent County communities are:

• The city of Grand Rapids – $22,500
• The city of Wyoming – $4,300

"The city of Grand Rapids is extremely grateful for receiving financial assistance to make polling places free of barriers to persons with disabilities," Hegarty said. "Improving accessibility to the polling location will advance the participation in the elections process for voters with disabilities."

The funds will help communities meet the basic requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to Elmer L. Cerano, executive director of Michigan Protection & Advocacy Service Inc.

"We have been working with the Secretary’s office and local clerks for the past two years to help identify polling places that are inaccessible to voters with disabilities," Cerano said. "The grants awarded today ensure that voters with disabilities will have the same opportunity to participate in the electoral process that other voters have. We applaud Secretary Land for putting these grants into action and hope that the benefiting communities will work with the disability community to ensure continued cooperation."

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is making more than $982,000 available to Michigan for precinct accessibility improvements. The remaining funds will be awarded in two more rounds later this year.

Communities applied to the Department of State following a 2004 survey of their precinct accessibility needs. Michigan Protection & Advocacy Service volunteers worked with local election officials to coordinate the surveys. Communities meeting the eligibility requirements received awards on a first-come, first-served basis. They will be reimbursed upon completing the projects.

Most of the work involves improvements to parking spaces, passenger drop-off areas, interior and exterior paths of travel, building entrances and voting areas.

A complete list of Kent County projects is available at www.Michigan.gov/sos.

Related Items:
> Map: Grants to Kent County Municipalities (PDF)
> Poster: Kent County Grants more details (PDF)
> Chart: Kent County Grants all details (PDF)