Report to/Rapport au :

Finance and Economic Development Committee

 

and Council / et au Conseil

 

 

5 January 2010 / le 5 janvier 2010

 

Submitted by/Soumis par : M. Rick O'Connor, City Clerk and Solicitor / Greffier et Chef du contentieux

 

Contact Person/Personne ressource : Catherine Bergeron / Manager, Elections & MFIPPA / Gestionnaire, Élections et LAIMPVP

(613) 580-2424  x44127, catherine.bergeron@ottawa.ca

 

 

Ref N°: ACS2010-CMR-CCB-0115

 

 

SUBJECT:

2010 Municipal ELECTIONS – report on identification, removal and prevention of barriers that affect electors and candidates with disabilities

 

 

OBJET :

ÉLECTIONS MUNICIPALES 2010 - RAPPORT SUR LE REPÉRAGE, L’ÉLIMINATION ET LA PRÉVENTION DES OBSTACLES POUR LES ÉLECTEURS ET LES CANDIDATS HANDICAPÉS

 

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

 

That the Finance and Economic Development Committee recommend that Council receive this report for information.

 

 

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

 

Que la Comité des finances et du développement économique recommande que le Conseil municipal prenne connaissance du présent rapport.

 

 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

 

The conduct of elections to municipal office for all Ontario municipalities is governed by the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, as amended (“MEA”).   Under the MEA, the clerk is responsible for the preparation and conduct of municipal elections.  The Good Government Act, 2009, was an omnibus Bill, enacted December 15, 2009, which included amendments to a number of statutes including the MEA.  Among the amendments to the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 were changes emphasising on the area of accessibility for electors with disabilities.

 

Under the revised legislation, a clerk who is responsible for conducting an election shall have regard to the needs of electors and candidates with disabilities. Furthermore, in establishing voting places, the clerk shall ensure that each voting place is accessible to electors with disabilities.  Finally, amendments to the MEA require the clerk to submit a report to council about the identification, removal and prevention of barriers that affect electors and candidates with disabilities within 90 days after voting day.  This report satisfies that statutory requirement.

 

The Elections Office undertook a multi-pronged approach to ensuring an accessible election to all electors and candidates.  In terms of the voting place, the Elections Office undertook a comprehensive review of the built environment for each voting place. This process was achieved through the completion of a detailed accessibility checklist that was developed in consultation with staff in the City’s Accessibility Office and Infrastructure Services.  This checklist is attached as Document 1. The review included the evaluation of features such as elevators, ramps, handrails, lighting and door widths resulting in several renovations and adaptations to remove barriers for electors.  In some cases, where the traditional or proposed voting place did not meet accessibility standards, an entirely new facility was selected to ensure the voting place was accessible. 

 

In terms of training and staffing, the Elections Office introduced increased accessibility training for all election workers and established a new election worker role dedicated to assisting electors with disabilities. A number of adaptations were also implemented to remove barriers for election workers with disabilities.  For example, low accessible tables were provided to election workers who used a wheelchair or could not stand for long periods of time. 

 

Since using effective communication techniques are vital to providing accessible service, the Elections Office reviewed and revised all of its documents to ensure they included appropriate terminology.  This significant undertaking included enhancements to the instruction manuals provided to 3,500 election workers.  Other enhancements included a refresh of the accessibility information provided to electors and candidates through various mediums including brochures, emails and the Ottawa.ca website.

 

The voting process itself was made more accessible through the introduction of new voting tools and services.  As in past elections, every voting place offered the following tools and services to electors:

·         Large Print Ballots;

·         Plastic Braille Template;

·         Braille Listing of Candidates; and

·         Cell Phone with Elections Call Centre Staff on Standby.

 

In addition to these tools and services, the Elections Office introduced new technology to the voting process. Most notably, a Voter Assist Terminal (“VAT”) was available in many voting places. The VAT allows electors with disabilities to mark their ballot privately and independently.  Its features include a Braille keypad, a touch screen, a rocker paddle and a “sip-puff” device to mark the ballot. The technology also provides audio language assistance, through headphones, to voters who need help to better understand written instructions in either English or French. Electors with  vision impairments could also use the zoom and high contrast features for assistance.

 

To raise awareness about these initiatives, the Elections Office also undertook a significant public consultation and outreach program. Key parts of this outreach included consultation with the Accessibility Advisory Committee as well as interactive presentations at major shopping centres throughout the City.

 

The accessibility project operated within the context of the overall municipal elections mandate. The costs related to the accessibility project can be grouped in the following broad categories: voting place renovations and adaptations; accessibility tools and supplies; fees related to location changes; and personnel costs.  In total, the cost of the accessibility project was $608,450.

 

 

RÉSUMÉ

 

La procédure entourant l’élection d’élus municipaux dans toutes les municipalités de l’Ontario est régie par la Loi de 1996 sur les élections municipales révisée (LEM). En vertu de la LEM, la ou le secrétaire des élections est chargé de la préparation et de la tenue des élections municipales. La Loi de 2009 sur la saine gestion publique était un projet de loi omnibus qui fut promulgué le 15 décembre 2009 et qui modifiait plusieurs lois, dont la LEM. Les modifications à la Loi de 1996 sur les élections municipales comportaient notamment des changements mettant l’accent sur l’accessibilité au processus électoral des électrices et des électeurs ayant des incapacités.

 

En vertu de la loi révisée, la ou le secrétaire des élections qui est chargé de la tenue d’une élection doit tenir compte des besoins des électeurs/électrices et des candidats/candidates ayant des incapacités. De plus, au moment de choisir les emplacements des bureaux de vote, la ou le secrétaire des élections doit veiller à ce que chacun des endroits soit accessible aux électrices/électeurs ayant des incapacités. Enfin, en vertu des modifications de la LEM, la ou le secrétaire des élections est tenu de soumettre au conseil municipal un rapport sur le repérage, l’élimination et la prévention des obstacles pour les électeurs/électrices et les candidats/candidates ayant des incapacités dans les 90 jours qui suivent le jour du scrutin lors d’une élection ordinaire. Le présent rapport répond aux exigences de la loi.

 

Le Bureau des élections a mis en œuvre une stratégie à plusieurs volets pour assurer l’accessibilité du processus électoral pour tous les électeurs/électrices et candidats/candidates. En ce qui concerne les bureaux de vote, le Bureau des élections a procédé à une vérification complète de tous les endroits servant au vote. Pour ce faire, une liste de vérification détaillée sur l’accessibilité, dressée en collaboration avec le personnel du bureau de l’accessibilité des Services d’infrastructure de la Ville, a été remplie. La vérification a porté sur des éléments comme les ascenseurs, les rampes d’accès, les mains courantes et la largeur des portes. Elle a entraîné des rénovations et aménagements particuliers pour éliminer les obstacles pour les électrices/électeurs. Dans certains cas, là où le bureau de vote habituel ou proposé ne satisfaisait pas aux critères d’accessibilité, un autre endroit a été sélectionné pour assurer l’accessibilité du bureau de vote.

 

En ce qui concerne la formation du personnel et la dotation, le Bureau des élections a renforcé la formation en matière d’accessibilité offerte à tous les travailleurs/travailleuses d’élection et a créé un nouveau poste d’agent/agente d’accessibilité pour venir en aide aux électeurs/électrices ayant des incapacités. Des modifications ont été apportées pour éliminer les obstacles pour les travailleurs/travailleuses d’élection ayant des incapacités. Par exemple, des tables basses accessibles ont été fournies pour les travailleurs et travailleuses utilisant un fauteuil roulant ou pour les personnes incapables de demeurer debout pour de longues périodes.

 

L’utilisation de techniques de communication efficaces étant vitale pour assurer l’accessibilité des services, le Bureau des élections a révisé et corrigé tous ses documents afin que la terminologie en vigueur soit adéquate. Dans le cadre de cette importante initiative, des améliorations ont été apportées aux manuels d’instruction remis aux quelque 3 500 travailleurs/travailleuses d’élection. Parmi les autres améliorations, mentionnons la mise à niveau de l’information sur l’accessibilité fournie aux électeurs/électrices et aux candidats/candidates par divers outils médiatiques dont les dépliants, les courriels et le site web ottawa.ca.

 

L’accessibilité du processus de vote en tant que tel a été améliorée par l’ajout de nouveaux outils et services. Comme lors d’élections antérieures, chaque bureau de vote disposait des outils et des services suivants pour assister les électeurs/électrices :

 

·         bulletins de vote en gros caractères;

·         modèles de bulletin de vote en plastique en braille;

·         liste des candidats/candidates en braille;

·         téléphones cellulaires et personnel en disponibilité au centre d’appel affecté aux élections.

 

Outre ces outils et services, le Bureau des élections a intégré de nouvelles technologies au processus de vote. Notamment, de nombreux bureaux de vote étaient dotés d’un terminal d’aide au vote (TAV). Le TAV permet aux électrices/électeurs ayant des incapacités de remplir leur bulletin de vote en privé et de façon autonome grâce aux fonctionnalités suivantes : clavier braille, écran tactile, interrupteur basculant et contacteur au souffle pour inscrire son vote. De plus, cet appareil fournit une aide vocale, au moyen de casques d’écoute, aux électrices/électeurs qui avaient besoin d’assistance pour mieux comprendre les instructions écrites en anglais ou en français. Les électrices/électeurs présentant une déficience visuelle ont également eu accès à un écran tactile à contraste prononcé et à agrandissement de la taille des caractères des bulletins de vote.

 

Pour sensibiliser la population à l’égard de ces mesures, le Bureau des élections a lancé un important programme de consultation publique et d’information. Entre autres volets importants, cette campagne de sensibilisation a comporté une consultation menée auprès du Comité consultatif en matière d’accessibilité ainsi que présentations interactives dans les grands centres commerciaux de la Ville.

 

Cette initiative en matière d’accessibilité s’est déroulée dans le cadre du mandat général des élections municipales. Ses coûts afférents sont ventilés dans les catégories générales suivantes : rénovations et aménagements des bureaux de vote; outils et fournitures pour assurer l’accessibilité; frais liés aux déplacements des bureaux de vote; et frais de personnel. Au total, l’initiative en matière d’accessibilité a coûté 608 450 dollars.

 

 

 

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

The conduct of elections to municipal office for all Ontario municipalities is governed by the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, as amended (“MEA”).   Under the MEA, the clerk is responsible for the preparation and conduct of municipal elections.  The Good Government Act, 2009, was an omnibus Bill, enacted December 15, 2009, which included amendments to a number of statutes and affected 24 different ministries.  Among the amendments were changes to the Municipal Elections Act, 1996 in the following areas: election calendar, campaign finance and contribution limits, Voters' List, voting process and election compliance and enforcement, and accessibility.

 

Under the revised legislation, a clerk who is responsible for conducting an election shall have regard to the needs of electors and candidates with disabilities. Furthermore, in establishing voting places, the clerk shall ensure that each voting place is accessible to electors with disabilities.  Finally, amendments to the MEA also require the clerk to submit a report to council about the identification, removal and prevention of barriers that affect electors and candidates with disabilities within 90 days after voting day.  This report satisfies that statutory requirement.

 

Ontario municipalities are also governed by broader legislation pertaining to accessibility, which has evolved in the last decade. The Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001 (“ODA”) required municipalities with a population over 10,000 to develop an accessibility plan and to establish an accessibility advisory committee. It was the precursor to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA”). The AODA requires organizations to develop, implement and enforce mandatory accessibility standards. Under the AODA, private, public and non-profit organizations are required to identify, remove and prevent barriers in order to make the Province of Ontario accessible for all people with disabilities by 2025.

 

City Council has also taken steps to improve accessibility for Ottawa residents with disabilities. At its meeting on November 16, 2009, Council adopted the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Policy, which is a commitment to providing equal treatment to people with disabilities with respect to the use and benefit of City services, programs, and goods in a manner that respects their dignity and that is equitable in relation to the broader public. The objective of this policy is to provide guidelines for the delivery of City services to people with disabilities, in compliance with Ontario Regulation 429/07, being the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service.

 

 

DISCUSSION

 

Elections Accessibility Project and Staff Resources

The Elections Office operates as a division of the City Clerk and Solicitor Department and was responsible for the conduct of the 2010 Municipal Elections.  The Elections Accessibility Project (“Project”) operated within the context of the overall election mandate.  A dedicated staff member was assigned to assist with the management of the accessibility project and deliver related training. However, it should be noted that all members of the Elections Office made important contributions to the Project as it was directly integrated with the administration of the election. 

 

The Accessibility Project for the 2010 Elections was multifaceted, involving months of planning and preparation. Work to improve accessibility took various forms, including efforts in the following key areas:

·         Comprehensive review of the built environment (i.e. voting places);

·         Ensuring accessibility training for all election workers;

·         Establishing new election worker positions dedicated to assisting electors with disabilities;

·         Developed adaptations for election workers with disabilities;

·         Implementing accessibility training for candidates;

·         Public consultation and community outreach; and

·         Monitoring and feedback of any accessibility-related issues.

 

Built Environment Review

 

Detailed Accessibility Checklist and Site Check

The Elections Office conducted a comprehensive review of the built environment of all 556 voting places.  This review included the completion of a detailed accessibility checklist, which was developed in consultation with Infrastructure Services’ Project Management Services and Accessibility Unit.  Standards for the checklist were established with consideration given to the following benchmarks and best practices: 

 

Equipped with this checklist, staff reviewed various aspects of the built environment such as ramps, handrails, power door operators, elevators, and the travel distance within the voting place.

 

Long-Term Benefits for City Programs

In seventeen (17) cases, the site check performed by staff of the Elections Office led to renovations at City-owned facilities.  It should be noted that the benefits of these renovations were not limited to accessibility for electors and candidates on Voting Day.  Since these facilities offer a wide range of programs, residents and visitors will continue to enjoy better access to these facilities in the long-term.  Depending on the nature of the work, the costs were paid by Infrastructure Services or by the Elections Office as outlined in the Financial Implications section of this report.  In short, the total cost of accessibility-related renovations to City-owned facilities was $51,000. 

 

Long-Term Benefits to Area Schools 

Also, in some instances, the site check performed by the Elections Office prompted some area schools to fast-track renovations that were originally planned to take place after voting day.  In other cases, the Elections Office funded small renovations where necessary. These four (4) situations were considered to be a “win-win” for both the schools and the Elections Office.  In particular, Churchill Alternative School (Ward 15), École secondaire Louis-Riel (Ward 2), Henry Larsen Elementary School (Ward 2) and St. Leonard Catholic School (Ward 21) benefited from curb cuts or poured asphalt initiated by the Elections Office.  In the case of Churchill A.S., a curb cut was performed on an adjacent City sidewalk on Ravenhill Avenue at its intersection with Edison Avenue.  This construction was already on the workplan of Infrastructure Services, but the Elections Office ensured that it occurred prior to Voting Day.  The construction at École secondaire Louis-Riel, was prompted by recommendations from the Elections Office and paid for by the Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario. Lastly, the Elections Office paid to correct the barriers on school property at Henry Larson E.S. and St. Leonard E.S., which cost $1,550 and $1,400, respectively.  The curb cut for Churchill A.S. cost $5,000 and was absorbed by Infrastructure Services. In summary, the total cost of accessibility renovations to area schools was $7,950.

 

Adaptations

The built environment of facilities located in well-established neighbourhoods can present challenges with respect to barriers for electors with disabilities. This was the case at Viscount Alexander Public School, which is located in the Sandy Hill neighbourhood of Ward 13. The entrance to the school was characterized by two (2) steps located several metres apart.  The two (2) ramps that had previously been used by the school no longer met the Elections Office’s accessibility criteria.  These ramps were found to be too steep, too narrow and too slippery.  Due to the pre-established voting location boundaries and the desire to have a voting place within said area, staff worked to find an accessible adaptation.  The Elections Office was able to purchase two (2) modular ramps with handrails and have them installed by Voting Day.  The total cost of purchasing the two ramps was $5,800.  In between municipal elections, these ramps will be available to other City departments, which will result in a benefit for other City programs.

 

In other instances, the Elections Office made adaptations through staffing to overcome barriers. For example, in 52 voting places, an additional Election Assistant was hired to open heavy doors that were not outfitted with push button power operators.  In cases where electors had a long distance to walk from entrance of the building to the actual voting place room, staff established a rest area by setting up chairs along the way.  In total, staff established such rest areas in 189 voting places.

 

In some situations the traditional or proposed voting place did not meet current accessibility standards.  In this regard, nineteen (19) voting places were changed from their originally planned location for reasons of accessibility. In some cases, visits to a few different locations were necessary before an accessible replacement could be found.  In the case of a few voting places changes, there were additional hall rental costs incurred that amounted to $1,440. 

 

As a result of certain location changes, there were some electors who experienced a longer distance to travel from their residence to the voting place than they had experienced in previous municipal elections. On occasion, finding an accessible voting place within an ideal travel distance can be a challenge. A voting place must serve voting subdivisions, which are established on geographic areas base on population, natural breaks (e.g. rivers, major arterial roadways, neighbourhoods), past subdivision lines, and potential growth.  The most important factor when choosing a voting place is ensuring that the facility is accessible to all electors.

 

 

Accessible Parking

Parking, including accessible parking, is a major consideration when establishing a voting place.  Accessible parking sign requirements are established through Section 122.1 of the City’s Traffic and Parking By-law No. 2003 – 530.  Further to the required spaces, Section 124 of the By-law and Section 11 of Ontario Regulation 581 made under the Highway Traffic Act state that accessible parking spaces must be marked with a prescribed sign.  Signs are required in order for a Parking Control Officer to take any necessary enforcement measures.

 

Further, the Elections Office took a number of steps to ensure that accessible parking spaces were made available to electors at all voting places.  A review of parking and accessible parking was part of the accessibility checklist used during the site check of the voting place.  In three cases, the Elections Office paid for new accessible parking signs at community centres.  Including installation, the signs for three community centres cost approximately $600.  These permanent signs benefitted electors but will also be a long-term benefit for all users of the community centre.  In cases where a non-City facility was missing signs, the Elections Office contacted the owner to make them aware of requirements set out on the By-law and the Provincial regulation.

 

 

A More Accessible Voting Process

 

Accessibility Tools and Services

The Elections Office has always been committed to providing an accessible voting process.  In 2010, the Elections Office continued to offer the following accessible tools and services in every voting place:

·         Large Print Ballots;

·         Plastic Braille Template;

·         Braille Listing of Candidates; and

·         Cell Phone with Elections Call Centre Staff on Standby.

 

In addition to the items above, a number of new tools, procedures and services were introduced for the 2010 municipal elections. 

 

Magnfiying Sheet

A magnifying sheet was available behind every voting screen, at every voting place. Sold by the CNIB, the 4x Page Size Magnifier Sheet (“Fresnel Lens”) could be used to read ballots or any other election-related documents. This tool was so well-received by electors that many inquired about how to obtain a magnifying sheet for personal use. The total cost for providing magnifying sheets at every voting place was $17,317.35

 

Voter Assist Terminal: Description and Preparation

The Voter Assist Terminal (“VAT”) was perhaps the most noticable addition to the City’s voting process in 2010.  Supplied by the City's existing elections vendor, Election Systems & Software (“Vendor”), this technology allowed voters with disabilities to mark a ballot privately and independently. The VAT featured a Braille keypad, a touch screen, a rocker paddle and a “sip-puff” device to mark the ballot. The VAT also provided audio language assistance, in either English or French, through headphones, to voters who required help to better understand written instructions. Electors with vision impairments could also use the zoom and high contrast features for assistance.

 

The preparation undertaken to provide the VATs to electors was significant. Information Techonology Services installed new software on the City’s Election FTP server. Further, staff in the Elections Office received extensive training on its use in order to be able to customize the software to suit the City’s election requirements.  Since the VAT software had never previously been translated into French, the Elections Office worked with the Vendor and the City’s French Language Services Branch to ensure that electors could use the VAT in both English and French. While this process required signficant time and effort on the part of staff, it was essential to meeting the Elections Office’s commitment to offering service in both official languages.

 

Each VAT was also thoroughly tested prior to being deployed to voting places on each voting day.  The systems test performed on each VAT took approximately 45 minutes per machine.  As part of the of the systems test, all five ballots types (English Public, English Separate, French Public, French Catholic and Commercial Non-Resident) for each ward were tested during this process. Also, all of the VAT’s features were tested including the touch screen, the audio and the assistive technology devices.  As staff were unable to test the VATs at their desks, most of the testing occurred after regular business hours, therefore, OT costs were incurred.  The total overtime costs related to the testing of the VATs was approximately $11,400. 

 

Voter Assist Terminal: Deployment and Elector Use

The VAT was available in all area-wide advance voting places on both advance vote days, at least one (1) per ward. This approach presented every elector in the City an opportunity to use VAT.  The VAT was also offered in all seniors' residences and long-term care facilities on both advance vote days and on voting day.  In total, the VAT was offered in a 171 voting places over the three (3) voting days.

 

·         Advance Vote Day 1, October 2 -  45 voter assist terminals

·         Advance Vote Day 1, October 14 -  41 voter assist terminals

·         Voting Day, October 25 -  85 voter assist terminals

 

Since the VAT does not count or store votes, there is no precise record of how many electors used the machine to mark their ballot.  This is in keeping with the objective of enabling electors to vote independantly and privately and integrating this method of marking a ballot into the entire vote counting process.  However, based on reports from election workers, there were indeed electors with disabilties who opted to use the VAT.  The Elections Office chose not to manually track how many electors used the VAT.  One elector explained to staff that it was the first time that she voted with complete independence, without the assistance of a personal intervenor.  She described using the VAT as “a thrilling and very emotional experience.”  This feedback reinforced that the VAT had, indeed, improved access to the democratic process for some electors.  Furthermore, it is anticipated that, as this type of technology becomes more familiar to electors, its use will likely increase in future elections.

 

 


Accessibility Training and Staffing

 

Accessibility Training for All Election Workers

All election workers, both City staff and members of the public, were given accessibility training.  The accessibility portion of the training was broader and more detailed than in previous elections.  This training was inspired by the AODA Accessible Customer Service Training and constructed in a manner that placed great emphasis on service delivery to all electors. In keeping the City's “Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Policy,” this training addressed the following relevant topics:

·         Assistive Devices;

·         Documentation;

·         Service Animals;

·         Support Persons;

·         Communication and Terminology;

·         Notice of Service Disruption; and

·         Feedback.

 

Election workers were also encouraged to offer service by asking if and how they could help the elector, and to refrain from making assumptions.  Election workers were trained to apply four guiding principles when serving electors with disabilities: Dignity, Equal Opportunity, Independence, and Integration.  They were trained and encouraged to identify and remove barriers and to make adaptatations to ensure accessibility for all electors. There were no additional costs associated with increased accessibility training, since the lesson plans were simply modified to place greater emphasis on accessibility.

 

 

Accessibility Leadership by City Staff

Staff from across the Corporation provided important leadership to ensure the voting process was accessible to all electors. City staff were recruited for roughly 1,000 election worker positions, including Supervisor Deputy Returning Officers and Accessibilty Officers.  A Supervisor Deputy Returning Officer was assigned to every voting place, as has been done successfully in previous elections. Meanwhile, the Accessibility Officer was a new position created for the 2010 elections to specifically assist with installing and assisting with the VAT and to offer general accessibility assistance wherever required.  City staff filled all 342 of the Accessibilty Officer positions. By recruiting City staff for these key positions, the Elections Office ensured that these positions were filled by individuals who had completed AODA Accessible Customer Service Training as all City staff were required to complete this training by 2009 year-end.  Staff serving in these important positions had the following major responsibilities:

 

Supervisor DRO

·         Oversaw all processes within the voting place and troubleshot where necessary

 

Accessibility Officers

·         Assisted electors with disabilities (as required) and oversaw the operation of the VAT

 

With regards to recruitment of City staff, the Elections Office advertised relevant positions through City Briefs, a weekly communiqué to all staff. The Elections Office also recruited using a computer “pop-up” seen when staff logged on to the Corporate network.  Furthermore, the Elections Office recruited staff from the City's Accessiblity Working Group and its relevant network of in-house accessibility trainers.  These particular members of staff are highly-trained in accessibility and were valuable assests to service delivery.

 

 

Adaptations for Election Workers with Disabilities

 

The Elections Office also worked to remove barriers for election workers with disabilities by providing particular equipment or additional staffing resources.  For example, some election workers advised the Elections Office that standard tables were too high either because the election worker used a wheelchair or was unable to stand for long periods.  In these cases, the Elections Office rented low tables.  These low accessible tables were delivered to the voting place and installed for the relevant election workers.  The total cost of renting low accessible tables was approximately $400.

 

While some barriers were removed through equipment, other matters were resolved through staffing.  As previously mentioned, in many schools additional Election Assistants were hired to open heavy doors that were not outfitted with push button power operators.  As well, Accessibility Officers were assigned to work in pairs, in part, to accommodate the requirement to lift the VAT as it weighed 29.55 kg (65 lbs).  As such, the VAT was deemed a “two-person” lift.   Also, there were 170 City staff hired as “runners” who were available to assist election workers with setting up the VAT and other materials in the voting place. Runners also provided assistance to election workers who were picking up or returning election supplies. 

 

More broadly, through consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Accessibility Advisory Committee, it was noted that the municipal itself election provided important opportunities to residents with disabilities in terms of employment standards.  They noted that, because of the municipal elections’ emphasis on accessibility, some residents with disabilities were given an opportunity to perform paid work, thereby benefiting from an empowering, employment experience.     

 

Accessibility Terminology and Revisions to Elections Documents

 

As noted above, using proper terminology is an important aspect when providing accessible service.  Over time, as the understanding of accessibility issues improves, the terminology around accessibility and writing styles and formats also evolves.  As such, staff conducted a thorough review and refresh of all its documents to include the most appropriate accessibility terminology, style and formats.  This included revisions to brochures, correspondence to candidates, to the elections website and to the instruction manuals for 3,500 election workers.  The instruction manuals were revised to include a stand-alone chapter dedicated to assisting electors with disabilities. This chapter’s emphasis was on providing service and included suggested techniques and teminology to protect the dignity and independance of all electors.  Revisions to the manauls also include the addition of tabs, changes to the font, font size, and design and the removal of colour coding, which can be a barrier for people with vision impairments.

 

 


Accessibility Training for Candidates

 

On April 14, 2010, Council directed staff to offer information sessions in both English and French to registered candidates, one session to be provided prior to July and the other after close of nominations.  As directed, the Elections Office offered information sessions in both English and French at City Hall on two occasions:

·         Saturday, 19 June 2010, 9 a.m. to 12 noon; and

·         Wednesday, 15 September 2010, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

 

These information sessions touched on a number of topics, including accessibility.  Candidates were advised of the many initiatives the Elections Office had taken to make the voting process accessible to electors with disabilities. They were also provided advice on how to run an accessible campaign, including how to make communication materials and campaign offices accessible.

 

The Elections Office also leveraged existing publications to educate candidates about accessible campaigns. Four (4) guides on accessible campaigns were posted to Ottawa.ca.  Three (3) guides were produced by the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario, Ministry of Community and Social Services:

The fourth guide, entitled Candidate’s Guide to Accessible Elections, was produced by the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO).

 

 

Public Consultation and Community Outreach

 

Public consultation and community outreach were an important aspect of the accessibility project.  The Elections Office conducted both internal and external consultation to develop and gather feedback on its accessibility initiatives.

 

Internal Consultation

During the development and planning stage, of the accessibility inititives, the Elections Office consulted with the City's Corporate Accessibility Unit. In particular, the Corporate Accessibility Unit provided important contributions to accessibility training for Election Workers. The Elections Office also worked closely with the Project Management Services and Accessibility Unit of the Infrastructure Services Department to develop a detailed accessibility checklist to identify potential barriers in the voting place. The Project Management Services and Accessibility Unit also made a presentation to Elections staff which focused on conducting an accessibility audit.  Accessibility audits were completed for all 556 voting places using the accessibility checklist. These two administrative groups provided invaluable expertise that allowed the Elections Office to have a full  undestanding of accessibility requirements and best practices. 

 

Advisory Committee Consultation

The Elections Office also made a presentation to the City’s Accessibility Advisory Committee on its accessibility iniatives, including a demonstration of the VAT. Members of the Seniors Advisory Committee were also invited to this meeting. The Accessibility Advisory Committee provided important feedback and strong support for the initiative and, in particular, the Committee members were very impressed by the capabilities of the VAT.  Another member suggested that candidate's campaigns should be accessible. Staff advised that there was a candidate’s information session held in June and another is scheduled for September where candidates would receive information on running an accessible campaign. 

 

Public Demonstrations at Major Shopping Centres

Electors and candidates were also invited to view and use the voter assist terminal in advance of the Voting Day. In August 2010, the Elections Office conducted public demontrations at six (6) major shopping centres and at City Hall:

 

Demonstration Day 1: August 23, 2010

·         City Hall – 110 Laurier Avenue West

·         Carlingwood Shopping Centre – 2121 Carling Avenue

 

Demonstration Day 2: August 24, 2010

·         Place d’Orléans –  110 Place d'Orléans Drive

·         Bayshore Shopping Centre –  100 Bayshore Drive

 

Demonstration Day 3: August 25, 2010

·         St. Laurent Shopping Centre –  1200 St Laurent Boulevard

·         Billings Bridge Shopping Centre –  2277 Riverside Drive East

 

Demonstration Day 4: August 26, 2010

·         Rideau Centre –  50 Rideau Street

 

These interactive demonstrations attracted significant media attention, which further raised the awareness of  accessibility iniatives. Important stakeholders like the CNIB also participated in these events and provided important feedback.  For example, the  CNIB’s feedback led staff to increase the VAT’s zoom print size from 125 percent to 200 percent, which greatly benefited electors with vision impairments.

 

Media and Public Outreach

The Elections Office also worked closely with Corporate Communications to make accessibility information available through various forms of public outreach.  The communications project for the 2010 election was built on a foundation of simple and straightforward messaging, including public service announcments, media releases, brochures and dedicated pages on the elections website www.ottawa.ca/vote.  An entire section of the Elections webpage on Ottawa.ca was dedicated to accessibility. 

 

Furthermore, elements of accessibility messaging included the use of VoicePrintVoicePrint is a broadcast reading service for people with disabilities, run by Accessible Media Inc., which can be accessed through cable, satellite and the internet.  VoicePrint aired an interview with an elections staff member and also provided information about the Voter Assist Terminal to its followers.  Several other interviews with local media also raised awareness about the accessibility initiatives.

 

Notice of Temporary Disruption

In keeping with the Provincial Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, election workers were trained to post Notice of Temporary Disruption signs when services like elevators, power door operators, and Voter Assist Terminals became unavailable.  As part of their supplies, election workers were provided with five (5) different Notice of Temporary Disruption signs which would be posted when various accessibility services became unavailable.  If a service became unavailable, in addition to posting a Notice of Temporary Disruption sign, election workers would advise the Elections Office so that the Notice of Temporary Disruption could also be posted on Ottawa.ca.  Furthermore, election workers were trained to offer alternate services under such circumstances. For example, if an elevator became unavailable preventing an elector from entering the voting place, election workers would bring the ballot to the elector. Or, if a Voter Assist Terminal became unavailable, election workers would offer other tools like the large print ballot and the magnifying sheet.

 

 

Montioring and Feedback

 

The Elections Accessibility Project included significant monitoring, both before and during Voting Day.  The Elections Office maintained regular contact with Infrastructure Services Department to monitor the progress of renovations at City facilities and also regularly communicated with the Accessibility Office when further expertise was required.  On voting days, the Elections Office implemented a process for on-going monitoring of accessibility issues.   As noted above, the Elections Office trained approximately 170 members of staff to act as “runners.”  These runners, who visited all voting places throughout the day, were provided with a series of questions to ask the staff in the voting place to ensure that accessibility needs were being met.  Any concerns that were raised were immediately brought to the attention of the Elections Office.

 

Feedback is also an important component to the Accessibility Project.  As part of their training, all 3,500 election workers were encouraged to provide their feedback to the Elections Office. 

Election workers also were encouraged to provide immediate feedback when there was a barrier at a voting place.  Upon receiving notice of a barrier, staff in the Elections Office resolved the issue.  Elections Office tracked feedback and related resolutions from voting places on all three voting days using an electronic database. Feedback received prior or after voting days was directed to the appropriate staff for action and response. 

 

Election workers were also encouraged to provide comments after voting day. For this purpose, all election workers were provided with both the telephone number and email address of the Elections Office and the City’s 3-1-1 Call Centre.  The City’s 3-1-1 Call Centre also forwarded all elections-related calls and emails to the Elections Office.  Most of the feedback received by the Elections Office came through informal conversations with electors and stakeholders.  Overwhelmingly, the feedback was supportive of the accessibility indicatives undertaken by the Elections Office.

 

Unexpected Accessibility Challenges

 

Despite the planning and preparation detailed above, the Elections Office was faced with some unexpected accessibility challenges. In most cases, accessibility was assured by the Elections Office and City staff responding to such challenges with adaptations.  Once again, the goal was to provide an accessible service to electors and candidates as mandated by the Municipal Elections Act, 1996.

 

For example, the Elections Office learned that the only accessible entrance to the voting place at Fisher Park Public School had become inaccessible due to infrastructure construction on Harmer Avenue.  The construction in question effectively closed the street.  This partial street closure made access to the voting place via Harmer Avenue nearly impossible. In fact, if left unattended, the potential impact to accessibility could have been significant since approximately 4,500 potential electors had been directed to access the voting place via the Harmer Avenue entrance though Ottawa.ca and by voter notification letters delivered by direct mail.

 

Upon learning of the potential barrier to access, the Elections Office acted swiftly and met with Infrastructure Services staff and the contractor to explain the accessibility needs.  In response, the Elections Office paid for the contactor to perform a clean-up of the area around the voting place in a manner that had little impact on the progress of construction.  Further, the area was fenced off to ensure the safety of electors, traffic, pedestrians. The Elections Office also worked with Parking Operations & Development staff to temporarily change the parking regulations in the area to allow more on-street parking on adjacent streets.  These temporary changes were in effect for one day. 

 

Staff also worked diligently with an external vendor to secure and temporarily install an accessible ramp for the previously inaccessible Fisher Avenue entrance.  The ramp, which was rented, included railings on both sides and measured almost 18 metres (60 feet).  By making a second entrance accessible, staff reduced the number of electors that needed to enter near the construction site.

 

A number of staffing measures were also taken to ensure a smooth and accessible voting process for electors at Fisher Park Public School.  Two (2) security guards were hired to monitor the entrances and provide security for the schoolchildren as members of the public would now be entering the school through more than one entrance. Two (2) extra Election Assistants, who were trained in accessibility, were hired to assist with the high number of electors and the potential confusion caused by construction, one (1) located at each entrance. Infrastructure Services also provided an inspector who was on-site all day to ensure that access was maintained and not impeded.  This cost was borne by Infrastructure Services. The Elections Office also contracted Ottawa Police Services to control traffic in the affected area. 

 

In summary, to mitigate the possible risk to accessibility, the Elections Office implemented numerous proactive solutions. The total cost to ensure Fisher Park Public School was an accessible voting place was as follows:

Construction Cleanup

$6,300

Secure & Install Temporary Front Door Ramp

$4,100

Two Security Guards

$450

Two Election Assistants

$1,000

Ottawa Police Constable with Cruiser

$300

Total Costs:

$12,150

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Forward Opportunities and Lessons Learned

 

Continuous Review of Built Environment

Over periods of time, accessibility standards have evolved. In some cases, a facility that was deemed accessible in the past did not meet the standards for the 2010 municipal elections. Furthermore, barriers can be created inadvertently over time through renovations or operational activities. Therefore, it is important that each facility’s accessibility compliance is reviewed prior to each election.

 

Establish an Elections Accessibility Policy

The City implemented a number of significant initiatives to ensure an accessible voting process for electors and candidates.  To this point, the initiatives have been presented through various mediums, including brochures for the public, letters to candidates, and through email and telephone.  This information has been established through the procedures in the election instruction manual and through various reports and briefing notes.  While these documents are often referenced, it would be preferable if there was a centralized policy to which electors and candidates could be referred.  This approach has been implemented by other Ontario municipalities such as Kingston, Oakville and Oshawa. As such, staff is preparing an Elections Accessibility Policy. When a draft policy is complete, it will be presented to the Accessibility Advisory Committee for consultation purposes and then to the relevant standing committee and Council. 

 

Pictorial/Graphic Material

Following the election, the Elections Office became aware of the opportunity to provide pictorial/graphic materials to electors instead of traditional text only documents.  The Elections Office does offer its documents in alternate formats and varying communication techniques is part of the accessibility training for election workers. However, there may be opportunities to expand and improve the pictorial/graphic materials available for electors.  This could include an improved pictorial/graphic on the instructions on how to vote, which would serve an alternate or supplement to verbal instructions.

 

Transit for Electors

Some electors asked the Elections Office to drive them to the voting place. This is outside the scope of the Elections Office’s means and responsibility. However, Council may wish to consider opportunities to promote public transit on voting days such as a “ride free with your voter notification” promotion.  In this regard, Council may wish to consider a promotion that includes all transit services, including OC Transpo and Para Transpo.

 

Travel Distance to Voting Places

In some situations the traditional or proposed voting place did not meet current accessibility standards.  As a result of certain location changes, there were some electors who experienced a longer distance to travel from their residence to the voting place than they had experienced in previous municipal elections. On occasion, finding an accessible voting place within an ideal travel distance can be a challenge. Ultimately, the most important factor when choosing a voting place is ensuring that the facility is accessible all electors.  However, staff will continue to take travel distance into consideration when determining the location of a voting place. 

 

 

RURAL IMPLICATIONS

 

Although this is a City-wide report, it should be noted that several City-owned facilities in rural areas received upgrades and renovations as a result of the Elections Accessibility Project.  Such work included the installation of power door operators and accessible parking signs and corrections to uneven walkways that were tripping hazards. Facilities that benefited from such renovations including: Constance/Buckham's Bay Community Centre (Ward 5); Carlsbad Springs Community Centre (Ward 19); Kenmore Community Hall (Ward 20); Vernon Recreation Centre (Ward 20); Cavanagh Community Centre (Ward 21); Marlborough Community Centre (Ward 21); and the Munster Community Centre (Ward 21).  Infrastructure Services contributed $17,100 to perform various renovations at the above-noted City-owned facilities to improve accessibility. As noted previously, the Elections Office paid $1,400 to improve access at St. Leonard Catholic School (Ward 21)

 

 

CONSULTATION

 

Consultation Prior to Voting Day

The Elections Office conducted both internal and external consultation to develop and gather feedback on its accessibility initiatives. During the development and planning stage of the accessibility inititives, the Elections Office consulted with the City's Corporate Accessibility Unit. In particular, the Corporate Accessibility Unit provided important contributions to accessibility training for election workers. The Elections Office also worked closely with the Infrastructure Services Department to develop a detailed accessibility checklist to identify potential barriers in the voting place. These checklists were completed for all 556 voting places.

 

Further, on July 21, 2010, the Elections Office made at presentation to the Accessibility Advisory Committee on election-related accessibility iniatives, including a demonstration of the voter assist terminal. Members of the Seniors Advisory Committee were also invited to this meeting. The Accessibility Advisory Committee provided important feedback and strong support for the iniatives and was very impressed with the abilities of the VAT. 

 

Candidates and electors were also invited to view and use the voter assist terminal in advance of the Voting Day. In August 2010, the Elections Office conducted public demontrations at six (6) major shopping centres and at City Hall. These demontrations attracted significant media attention, which further raised awareness about the accessibility iniatives.

 

The Elections Office also worked closely with Corporate Communications to make accessibilty information available through various forms of public outreach, including public service announcments, media releases, brochures and decicated pages on the elections website.

 

Consultation after Voting Day

On January 7, 2010, the Clerk and Solicitor presented the Elections Accessibility Project outcomes to the Chair and Vice-Chair of the City’s Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC). Overall, they were quite pleased and supportive of the accessibility initiatives.  The members noted that, while the initiatives undertaken by the Elections Office primarily impacted electors, candidates and election workers, it also had the important benefit of raising the public awareness about accessibility in general. 

 

With respect to the Voter Assist Terminal, they noted this technology improved access to many electors, allowing certain electors to vote completely independently for the first time.  The Chair and Vice-Chair further agreed with staff that electors’ use of the VAT is likely to increase in future elections as electors become more familiar with the technology.  They also commented that improving accessibility to the voting process improves the democratic experience for all electors, not just electors with disabilities.  Furthermore, the members suggested that opportunities to use the VAT should be expanded to all voting places in future elections, in order to increase service to all electors.  

 

The AAC members also provided valuable feedback and observations in several other key areas, which will be considered during planning for future elections. For example, they noted that it was beneficial that the Elections Office provided information about accessible entrance to the voting place both on the voter notification and on the Ottawa.ca website.  This made finding the accessible entrance easier for electors.  In this regard, the AAC members recommended that signage at the voting place be made larger. This modest change, they suggested, would not only benefit electors with disabilities, but all electors searching for the voting place.  Furthermore, they suggested that examples of the signs be made available on the Ottawa.ca website so that all electors would know what signs to search for upon arrival at the voting place. 

 

The AAC members noted the benefit of the 189 rest areas (chairs) that were established by the Elections Office.  They recommended that such rest areas be installed at the entrance of every voting place, particularly for electors who wait for Para Transpo service. 

 

With respect to the unexpected construction near some voting places, the AAC members suggested that the Elections Office increase its communication to the construction industry regarding accessibility.  For example, there might be future opportunities to review site plans for upcoming construction that might affect access to a voting place. Also, the Elections Office might be able to send a general notice concerning accessibility to local construction firms and related associations during an election year.  

 

Finally, the Chair of AAC noted that there may be potential to utilize the VAT technology, on an ad hoc basis, for issues requiring public consultation. For example, Council could explore opportunities to temporarily establish VATs at various shopping centres in order to gather feedback from residents on a particular matter. 

 

The City Clerk and Solicitor has agreed that all of the feedback and observations from the members of AAC will be taken into consideration in the planning process for the 2014 municipal elections.

 

On January 19, 2010, staff attended the regular meeting of the AAC to answer questions and gather further feedback.  The Chair introduced the item by expressing her support for the project.  In particular, the Chair expressed her satisfaction with the consultation process, which she described as “an example for other departments.”  In particular, the Chair noted how appreciative she was that the AAC was involved from the beginning of the project. 

 

The Chair also made a suggestion that the Voter Assist Terminal be renamed the “Voter Terminal.”  The Chair noted that the term “Assist” might deter some electors from using the device.  The Chair further noted that it should be clear to all electors that the device can be used by all electors, not just electors with disabilities. 

 

A representative from the Canadian Paraplegic Association of Ontario also spoke to the item as a member of the public.  He raised concerns about electors who are house-bound and unable to attend a voting place.  And while he was generally pleased with the project and related report, he noted that the proxy system requires a “third-party” disclosure.  The representative asked that the City consider a “mobile ballot box” system, under which a DRO would travel to the elector’s home.   Staff responded by saying that they will review current practices affecting electors who are house-bound.

 

Another Member of ACC suggested that the Elections Office share its report with Elections Ontario, which is also undertaking an accessibility review.  Staff confirmed that they had already sent preliminary information to Elections Ontario and they would send the final report once it is considered by Council. 

 

In closing, the Chair again noted that the AAC strongly supported the project. 

 

COMMENTS BY THE WARD COUNCILLOR(S)

 

This is a City-wide report.

 

 

LEGAL/RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

 

There are no legal/risk management implications to receiving this report.

CITY STRATEGIC PLAN

 

Although this report is a statutory requirement, the principles outlined herein align with Service Delivery Priority Objective 1 and Governance Objective 3:

 

Service Delivery Priority Objective 1: 

Improve citizen/client satisfaction: improve the experience and interaction citizens and staff have with City services.

 

Governance Objective 3:

Commit to and develop a democratic, engaging and visible process to maximize input from residents in the work of Council and in policy development, while ensuring that seniors, new Canadians, women and the economically disadvantaged are included.

 

 

TECHNICAL IMPLICATIONS

 

The introduction of the Voter Assist Terminals had technical implications.  Firstly, the VAT offered electors an electronic method of marking the ballot.  Secondly, there is a software component to the VAT, which was purchased by the Elections Office. This software was customized to recognize and read City of Ottawa ballots in both English and French. Information Technology Services installed this software in a secure manner. 

 

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Total Expenditures incurred as a result of the accessibility initiative include:

Staffing  Costs – including overtime

$413,900

Accessibility Supplies

$143,000

Voting Place Renovations/Adaptations

$50,150

Location Changes

$1,400

Total

$608,450

 

 

Funding was provided from the Election Reserve ($586,350) and Infrastructure Services ($22,100). 

 

 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

 

Document 1 - Voting Location: Accessibility Checklist

 

DISPOSITION

 

City Council to receive this report for information.

 

 


DOCUMENT 1

 

 

 

Voting Location: Accessibility Checklist

 

Voting Location:

 

Ward:

Voting Area:

Address:

 

Facility Type:

 

Date of Review:

 

Ward Leader:

 

 

 

 

Element

Application

 

Description

Compliance

Yes

No

N/A

Comments

Transportation

Is the location on a bus route?  (Record all bus route numbers in the comments section)

 

 

 

 

Exterior Signage

Is the building identifier (name or address) clearly visible from the street and sidewalk?

 

 

 

 

 

Parking

Is there an appropriate number of accessible parking spaces at least

3.6 m in width?

 

(City by-law requirement)

Capacity of Public Parking Area
(Number of Parking Spaces)

Minimum Number of Spaces to be Reserved
for Physically Disabled Persons

1-19

0

20-99

1

100-199

2

200-299

3

300-399

4

400-499

5

500 and more

6

 

 

 

# of spaces:

 

 

Is there appropriate signage for the accessible parking spaces?

 

 

 

 

Are the parking spaces firm and level?

 

 

 

 

Exterior Accessible Route

Is the pedestrian path entrance accessible to parking and drop-off areas, including appropriate curb cuts?

 

 

 

 

Is the pedestrian pathway an appropriate width – 915 mm in width or more?

 

 

 

 

Are there any abrupt changes in the level of the pedestrian pathway?

 

 

 

 

Are there any protrusion hazards?

 

 

 

 

If there are any drainage gratings within the pedestrian pathway, and if so, are they less than 13mm wide?

 

 

 

 

Is the approach to the voting area easy to travel in and in good condition (no broken pavement slabs, gravel, potholes)?

 

 

 

 

Are there curb cuts where danger exists with vehicular traffic?

 

 

 

 

 

Ramps

Is the ramp gradient between 5 and 12%?

 

 

 

 

If the ramp gradient is over 5%, are there handrails and guards on both sides?

 

 

 

 

Is the ramp width at least 920-1000mm between handrails?

 

 

 

 

Is there a level landing space at the top and bottom of the ramp?

 

 

 

 

Is the curb ramp lip flush with the pavement?

 

 

 

 

Entrances

Are the entrances well marked and centrally located?

 

 

 

 

Is the entrance accessible?

(includes a door opening width of min. 850 mm)

 

 

 

 

Is there a raised threshold?  If so, is it less than19 mm high?

 

 

 

 

Are the doors power-operated?

 

 

 

 

If there is no power-door operator, can the doors be opened with a closed-fist hand? (i.e. level handles or push plate door pulls)

 

 

 

 

If there is no power-operated door, can the door opening force be measured at 8.5lbs or less for an exterior door?

 

 

 

 

If there is no power-operated door, can the door opening force be measured at 5 lbs or less for an interior door?

 

 

 

 

Is the doorway opening adequate for wheelchair users – 850 mm or more in width?

 

 

 

 

Are the entrances well lit?

 

 

 

 

Interior Pedestrian Path of Travel

Is the voting area served by well designated and safe elevator or ramps/escalator /lifts?

 

 

 

 

Is the approach to the voting area easy to travel in and in good condition (no uneven surfaces, tripping hazards)?

 

 

 

 

Stairs (only applicable if needed to access voting area & only if there is no elevator)

Are the stairwells easy to locate?

 

 

 

 

Do the stairs have accessible handrails on both sides?

 

 

 

 

Do the stairs have a non-skid surface?

 

 

 

 

Are the stairwells well-illuminated?

 

 

 

 

Is the nosing colour contrasted?

 

 

 

 

Elevators (only applicable if needed to access the voting area)

Are the elevators clearly marked?

 

 

 

 

Are the controls accessible to wheelchair users and operable by one hand?

 

 

 

 

Is the elevator door opening at least 850 mm in width?

 

 

 

 

Does the elevator require a key to operate?

 

 

 

 

Lighting

Are all areas well lit especially in the voting area?

 

 

 

 

Service Animals

Is the landlord or building owner aware that service animals are permitted to enter the building?

 

 

 

 

Seating

Is there a requirement for a rest area from the entrance to the voting area (i.e. a long walk from the entrance to the voting area)?

 

 

 

 

 

Additional Comments/Observations: