Disabled Stakeholder Denied Voting Rights in NC Election
Friends of longtime political activist Juanita Dellomes, an elderly, disabled woman, claim that the City is not accommodating her needs to accessibly vote in an upcoming Neighborhood Council election in Lincoln Heights. One of our readers sent us the following:
If you can help Juanita out please send me an email and I'll pass along the information.
Per her request, I am writing on behalf of my disabled friend, Juanita Dellomes, who is disappointed that the City of Los Angeles is ignoring her needs in regards to the upcoming Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Council Election that will take place on Thursday June 12, 2008 from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Lincoln High School in Los Angeles, CA 90031.
The problem is that the school is considered a closed campus and the more accessible, but not readily accessible, entrance for the disabled will not available until after 3:30 pm.
The City Clerk who is administering the election found this out after being asked why this site was being used because the usual election polling place used by the city for citywide elections is across the street at the Buddhist Temple. It was only then that they asked the Principal who stated that until 3:30 pm the available parking would be on the street in front of the main entrance to the Auditorium which has several steps, no ramp and is some distance away from the polling place.
Asked why they just donʼt move the polling place to the Buddhist Temple the City Clerkʼs office stated that it was too late to move it and it should have been contested earlier. This statement makes no sense since originally the election was to take place at the School Gymnasium as noted in the first mailing that the City Clerk sent out to the stakeholders of Lincoln Heights and until last week, when several people complained, moved it to the Auditorium. No such notice has been sent out again and it would be simpler if they just moved it to the Buddhist Temple, sent out a new mailer and if need be delay the election until the second round of elections to take place later this year.
As it stands no elections have been held for the last 3 years, although they were suppose to have been yearly, and waiting a week or two until the proper arrangements are made would not be that big of a problem. Additionally polling places are traditionally opened until 8:00 pm allowing for traffic to die down and parking becoming more abundant.
If you can help Juanita out please send me an email and I'll pass along the information.
Labels: juanita dellomes, Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Council
Posted by Michael Higby @ 6/04/2008 12:00:00 PM
14 Comments:
"Election that will take place on Thursday June 12, 2008 from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Lincoln High School in Los Angeles, CA 90031. The problem is that the school is considered a closed campus and the more accessible, but not readily accessible, entrance for the disabled will not available until after 3:30 pm."
So why doesn't she just vote between 3:30-7 pm?
I'll help her by telling her not to waste her time. Neighborhoods Councils are useless and the City could better serve its residents by taking the money in their accounts. When you have this many knuckleheads fighting over the table crumbs of power that City Hall sends their way, you can never expect anything significant to come out of it.
Of course I have no idea if it will be of any relevance in this case, but it isn't like no one has ever thought of how to take care of situations like this.
I worked as a poll worker in yesterday's election. In the event that a disabled voter can't come into the polling place for whatever reason, a voting device and ballot can be taken out to their car for them to vote. There is a special Voters with Disabilities kit for this express purpose.
I'm with 12:10: The polling place is accessible for most of the afternoon, so vote then. Demanding everything be moved at the cost of thousands of dollars for new flyers, mailings etc. because she doesn't want to do that, is what's selfish here. No wonder our government is bankrupt with people like this, all about themselves. Only in East L A: the must-derided "rich people" who pay the taxes for all these programs and think of their role as Americans who, first and foremost, contribute to their country, would feel silly and selfish making such demands.
1:29: Do NC's have that kit? How much extra burden are NC's expected to comply with, being volunteer organizations? But that sounds like a compassionate solution if she can't come after 3:30 -- assuming there isn't some sort of special "machine" that has to be kept on hand for that purpose. My NC just votes at their meeting, I'm sure they don't have any special equipment.
It sounds like what's really going on here, is a distrust of this NC, a suspicion they're trying to keep the public from participating in general. If there were trust with the Board Members, such a simple thing shouldn't have become a contentious issue.
Here is another example of city departments not communicating with each other. What a complete waste of time, seriously, Neighborhood Council election. If I had to vote about a Neighborhood Council, it would be to vote them out of the city charter and stop wasting our tax dollars.
Neighborhood Councils, LOL. They're just loping your mules guys.
1:19 nailed it.
There's is a huge problem with this blog.
1. The campus is accessible. In fact, the campus was completely modernized to meet ADA requirements between 2002 and 2005. For anyone that has been to it, you will easily find that there are ramps everywhere...including 4 elevators in each 2 story building.
2. All NC Elections will provide curbside voting. It's in each oe of their Election Procedures.
I just contacted the City's ADA Compliance Officer who said that there is no ADA violation in reference to this issue.
NCs have always had processes in place to to go out to disabled voters and allow them to cast a ballot. It doesn't require any special equipmnent.
The City Clerk is now running the elections.
Someone needs to do some fact-checking. How can a disabled ramp not be accessible at certain times? Just unlock the door.
"In the event that a disabled voter can't come into the polling place for whatever reason, a voting device and ballot can be taken out to their car for them to vote. There is a special Voters with Disabilities kit for this express purpose."
In our poll the illumination over the voting device was so bad the voter mis-marked a number of times. We had the option of taking her to a place outdoors that was better illuminated.
People with disability must be accommodated.
JUANITA DELLOMES IS STILL AROUND -- I thought that old fossil was retired and doing other things.
This is wrong on many levels, first I have been around for 20 years, and she is not an activist, just a whiner. Second, she has no friends.
Please someone help her vote and give her a big hug from those of us in the Social Security office.
Why the hard on with this particular council in a part of the City known as the Butthole of the eastside?
Who gives a rats ass.
Help this woman vote and move along.
LET HER VOTE!BEST OF LUCK!,SHERWIN BAKLA SALVALOS
Juanita is alive and well, shes not an old fossil, you could learn some stuff from her, SHE IS AN ACTIVIST. SHOWS HOW STUPID AND UNINFORMED YOU ARE...ECHO PARK DUCK
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home