LaPaz has seen its fire station designated as a vote center location by the Marshall County Commissioners.
Marshall County Clerk Debbie Vandemark explained to the Commissioners Tuesday morning that the county’s Election Board traveled to the site for inspection.
Vandemark says the LaPaz Community Center is unable to be used this year
“As you know, we can’t use the community building,” says Vandemark. “There are some issues with that building and they’re not letting anyone use it right now. So they have a nice little conference room area, but it is lacking a ramp.”
The ramp is required to make the voting site accessible to all residents, including the disabled.
In the past, the Marshall County Commissioners have constructed wheel chair ramps and other accessibility features at voting sites around the county. The investments are required under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The county is working to establish vote centers as part of a plan in Marshall County. A public hearing on the expanded plan is scheduled for Thursday. Reading from a message composed by the Indiana Secretary of State’s office, Vandemark says the ramp project may need to be grant funded.
“This process is intended to encourage counties to improve the accessibility of their polling places regardless of the number of precincts and make voting more accessible for the disabilities community,” says Vandemark. “Counties that did not apply for the 2015 grant will be eligible for one 2016 grant.”
The grants are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Commissioners voted to make the LaPaz Fire Department one of the vote center sites and allow the Clerk’s office to apply for the grant.
