Contact: Paul Valette, 240-777-8585, MD Relay 1-800-735-2258
For Immediate Release: August 15, 2002

ALTERNATE ACCESSIBLE POLLING PLACES
FOR VOTERS WITH DISABILITIES

Registered voters with disabilities who reside in precincts where the polling place is not accessible because of structural barriers may be assigned to an alternate polling place. Maryland Election Law permits reassignment if a barrier-free polling place is available in a precinct that has a ballot identical to the precinct in which the voter is registered.

To request an application for reassignment to an accessible polling place for the September 10 Gubernatorial Primary Election, the voter must contact the Elections Office no later than the deadline, 9 p.m. on August 20. Elections officials urge that requests for reassignment be made immediately.

You may check your Voter Notification Card for the accessibility status of your polling place or you may call the Elections Office at 240-777-8500.

If a satisfactory substitute polling place is not available, or if the voter with a disability does not wish to be reassigned, voting by absentee ballot is an alternative. Applications for absentee ballots to be mailed must be submitted to the Board of Elections by 5 p.m. on September 3. For information on absentee voting, call the Absentee Voting Department, 240-777-8550, or e-mail, absentee@montgomerycountymd.gov.