The U.S. Department of Justice has accused Los Angeles County of repeatedly failing to ensure that voters with disabilities can enter polling stations, polling stations and cast their ballots during recent elections.

In a federal complaint archived On Thursday, the department claimed the county routinely violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and risked disenfranchising Angelenos with visual and mobility disabilities.

Since 2016, the

Department of Justice DOJ

regularly examined provinces’ voting locations and ballot boxes during elections, according to the lawsuit. Each time it said it found places that don’t meet the ADA’s standards.

Prosecutors said that while federal officials brought deficiencies to the county’s attention, local officials failed to remedy them, repeatedly hampering residents’ voting power. The alleged problems include a lack of accessible parking for vans and steep inclines without handrails.

Voting is a fundamental right and we will do everything we can to ensure it is not restricted or denied to anyone in our community, US Atty said. Martin Estrada in a statement. Through this lawsuit, we demanded that Los Angeles County provide individuals with disabilities with an opportunity to participate in the counties’ voting program that is equivalent to that for non-disabled individuals.

The lawsuit cites a voter who uses a wheelchair, named only DG, who said she had difficulty with it

access

a polling station in a senior facility in Chatsworth during the August 2019 special election.

During that entire voting process, no polling station or officer of that polling station ever assisted DG in voting outside the door, the lawsuit said. DG reported that she was appalled and frustrated by her treatment at the polling place and that she felt she had lost her freedom to vote privately and independently like everyone else.

The department requested a court order requiring the county to comply with the

Americans with Disabilities Act ADA

and develop a plan to resolve the violations within a month.

The county, which typically declines to comment on pending litigation, released a statement saying it disputes the allegations and has been working with voters with disabilities to design the county’s voting services.

County officials said they had been working with the DOJ since last month to address the deficiencies and avoid a lawsuit, but discussions were abruptly halted.

I am discouraged by this action, despite our good faith efforts to agree on a reasonable settlement. The statements in the press release do not reflect Los Angeles County’s voting model or service,

said

Dean Logan, from the county

right

clerk

right

recorder,

said

in a statement. That said, we remain committed to addressing accessibility issues in a fair and effective manner.