A lawsuit filed by federal prosecutors on Thursday alleges that Los Angeles County discriminated against individuals with disabilities at several vote centers in Pasadena, North Hollywood, Downey, and Watts during recent elections. The lawsuit claims violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and highlights the exclusion of qualified individuals with mobility disabilities and vision disabilities from voting.
The complaint, filed in Los Angeles federal court, seeks a court order requiring the county to comply with the ADA, develop a plan to remedy the violations, and cease further discrimination against individuals with disabilities.
A statement from the L.A. County registrar-recorder/county clerk’s office is expected.
The lawsuit argues that the county is responsible for choosing and providing accessible facilities as polling places or vote centers for federal, state, and local elections.
During the June 2016, March 2020, and November 2020 elections, the U.S. Attorney’s Office surveyed over 250 polling places and vote centers, finding that only a small percentage of them met ADA requirements.
The Pasadena, North Hollywood, Downey, and Watts vote centers in question continue to be used despite the federal government’s previous warnings about accessibility issues, according to prosecutors.
Additional accessibility problems were identified with ballot drop boxes during the November 2020 and November 2022 general elections.
“Voting is a fundamental right, and we are committed to ensuring that everyone in our community has an equal opportunity to participate,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada.
“Through this lawsuit, we demand that Los Angeles County provide individuals with disabilities with the same voting opportunities as nondisabled individuals.”
The lawsuit was filed under Title II of the ADA, which prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities by public entities. The federal probe primarily focused on physical accessibility at county vote centers for individuals with mobility and vision disabilities during the 2020 primary election, 2020 general election, and 2022 general election. Prosecutors also examined other aspects of the county’s voting programs, including curbside voting and ballot drop boxes.
“Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy, and all voters, including those with disabilities, deserve equal access to the voting process,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This lawsuit sends a strong message to officials nationwide about the Department of Justice’s unwavering commitment to ensuring accessible polling places.”
