US Department of Justice, August 1, 2024
Today, the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California secured an agreement with Los Angeles County, California, to resolve the Department’s lawsuit alleging the County violated the ADA by denying voters with mobility and vision disabilities an equal opportunity to vote. Under the agreement, the County will hire an independent accessibility expert for three years to ensure the County selects voting centers that will be accessible. The expert will report to the County and the Department.
“People with disabilities are entitled to full inclusion at the ballot box,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to safeguarding the right of every eligible voter, including voters with disabilities, to participate in our electoral process. This agreement should send a message to officials across the country regarding the need to ensure the accessibility of the voting process now.”
“The right to vote is essential to our democracy and must be protected for all voters,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California. “Voters with disabilities are entitled to an equal opportunity to vote in person, privately and independently, alongside their neighbors and friends. We commend Los Angeles County for its commitment to work with the Justice Department to ensure equal access for individuals with disabilities.”
The lawsuit was filed in June 2023 following a lengthy investigation that found the county excluded individuals with disabilities from participating in the county’s in-person voting program.