Improve access to polling stations, group implores CEC

Access polling stations needs to be improved if physically impaired people are to make their voices heard in the presidential election, a group told the Central Election Commission (CEC) yesterday.

"We inspected 53 polling stations across the country during the legislative elections," said Tsui Pin (崔彬), an Eden Social Welfare Foundation official. "Sixteen of them either did not have ramps [for wheelchair access] or had entrances that made it impossible for wheelchairs to enter."

Some stations were too cramped and did not have enough space for wheelchairs to maneuver, did not have any staff members designated to assist physically challenged voters, or had entrances that were too narrow, the group said.

"What was more unbelievable was that even though some polling stations are accessible by the handicapped, they were not open for use on election day," Chiang Wei-chun (江偉君), a volunteer for the organization who is herself physically impaired, said.

The group presented CEC Secretary-General Teng Tien-yu (鄧天祐) with their report and a petition demanding the CEC make improvements before the March 22 presidential election.

Teng that problems did exist and said the CEC had already asked polling stations to make improvements.

"We've sent out a letter asking all local election commissions to conduct a comprehensive accessibility inspection on all polling stations on Jan. 14," Teng said after a closed-door meeting with representatives from the group.

"In the letter, we specified that all polling stations located above the ground floor or in basements must be equipped with elevators, while all polling stations with steps or thresholds at the entrance should construct a concrete ramp of at least 90cm in width for wheelchair access," Teng said. "If such criteria cannot be met at any location, then that particular location should not be used as a polling station."

Teng the CEC had budgeted approximately NT$20 million (US$621,000) for local governments to use to improve polling station access.