State Codes and Statutes
Statutes > Rhode-island > Title-17 > Chapter-17-19 > 17-19-3-2SECTION 17-19-3.2
§ 17-19-3.2 Polling place accessibilityfor voters who are disabled or elderly. – (a) Every polling place shall be situated in a building that can be entered andexited by persons who are disabled or elderly.
(b) "Persons who are disabled" for the purpose of thissection means a serious impairment of mobility.
(c) "Elderly" as used in this section means a person who issixty-five (65) years of age or older.
(d) The state board of elections shall establish guidelinesas to the accessibility of buildings to voters who are disabled or elderly. Thestate board of elections is empowered to grant, upon the application of theboard of canvassers, an exception permitting it to maintain a polling place ina nonconforming building. An exception shall only be granted when the board ofcanvassers demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the board of elections, thatthere is no public building within the voting district which meets therequirements of this section or which can be brought into compliance by areasonable expenditure of funds. If a conforming building is unavailable withinthe voting district, the board of elections shall provide to the board ofcanvassers an alternative method or an alternative location outside the votingdistrict for persons who are disabled or elderly and request in advance of theelection an alternative means of casting their ballot on election day.
