These Polling Place Accessibility Guidelines were designed with the California Department of Rehabilitation to help elections officials ensure that polling places are accessible to voters with disabilities to the extent possible.
It is important to note that these Guidelines do not make new law or impose new polling place accessibility requirements on county elections officials. Rather, they are a compilation of laws and regulations that county elections officials are required to adhere to, regardless of the existence of the Guidelines. Throughout the sections below, specific code citations are provided where the Guidelines require a specific action, so the underlying regulatory mandate can easily be found. In some cases, the mandates identified are new to the Guidelines, but are not necessarily new to the law.
If you have questions about the Guidelines, please send them to hava@sos.ca.gov or contact the Secretary of State's Elections Division at (916) 657-2166.
Revised July 2024
Polling Place Accessibility Guidelines by Section
- Complete Guidelines (PDF)
- Table of Contents (PDF)
Checklist
- 1A. The Parking Area Checklist (PDF)
- 1B. Drop-off Zone Checklist (PDF)
- 2. Accessible Route Checklist (PDF)
- 3. Doorways, Hallways, and Entrances Checklist (PDF)
- 4. The Voting Area Checklist (PDF)
- 5. Signage Checklist (PDF)
- 6. Ramps, Curb-Ramps, and Slopes Checklist (PDF)
- 7. Elevators and Lifts Checklist (PDF)
- 8. Restrooms Checklist (PDF)