In the 2022 elections, 20% of people with disabilities were likely to have difficulty voting. This compares to 6% of people without disabilities. It’s all according to a federal report produced in partnership with Rutgers University.

Power of people with disabilities in Detroit has conducted extensive research on the barriers people with disabilities face when voting in metro Detroit. In a recent reportthey found that 84% of polling stations here are inaccessible to people with disabilities. So how can we increase access, even at the eleventh hour, while early voting is underway?

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Dessa Cosma, founder of Disability Power Detroit, joined The metro to discuss their report on survey accessibility. She says in Detroit there are 117,000 voting-age residents with disabilities.

“So we’re not only one big community, but we’re all very different from each other in many ways. So when we look at what makes a voting site accessible, for example, there are two things to keep in mind,” says Cosma. “The first is that we base this on what is required by law. So when a site is not accessible according to the standards we measure, that doesn’t mean it’s not convenient or enjoyable for a voter with a disability, it actually means that site doesn’t follow the law federal. So it’s very serious, in addition to the fact that you know, voting should be easy and convenient for people. But secondly, it’s important to remember that accessibility is different depending on a person’s disability.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation with Cosma.

More titles from The metro October 29, 2024:

• The elections are only a week away. Michael Siegrist, Canton Township Clerk joined the show to answer questions and help people make a voting plan. People can also find information about elections and voting WDET Voter Guide.
• It’s been a minute is an NPR podcast that covers weekly news, culture and trends in the United States. Recently, the podcast produced a series highlighting influential people and objects from a given city. The show’s host, Brittany Luse, is from Detroit, so she contacted WDET. Created equal Producer Cary Junior and The metroDetroit host Tia Graham will debate what is the most influential thing to come out of Detroit.
• According to the Pew Research CenterAmericans aged 30 and older disproportionately support Israelis over Palestinians. But this changes significantly when it comes to people under 30. Producer for The metro Sam Corey recently had a conversation with Syma Echeandia, a member of Temple T’chiyah in Ferndale. As an elder in her temple, Syma said she is proud of her Jewish identity and critical of the Jewish state, a tension that is difficult for many people to contain. During the conversation, they explained how Echeandia’s views have changed over time and why she thinks it’s important to criticize the country she cares deeply about.

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