Justice Department Secures Agreement with Township of New Hartford to Ensure Polling Place Access to Voters with Disabilities

MINNEAPOLIS – The United States has reached a settlement agreement with the Township of New Hartford to ensure that the Township provides accessible polling places to voters with disabilities. The agreement resolves the United States’ investigation into New Hartford Town Hall’s compliance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability and requires state and local governments to ensure that people with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

Investigators from the Department of Justice surveyed the New Hartford Town Hall and observed physical barriers, including a steep ramp without handrails at the entrance, that make the Town Hall inaccessible to individuals with disabilities.

Under the settlement agreement, the Township is required to make necessary accessibility modifications, including certain modifications no later than October 31, 2024. These modifications include accessible parking areas and a ramp that provides an accessible route to the entrance of the building.

More information about voting and elections is available on the Department of Justice’s website at www.justice.gov/voting. Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at www.civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-3931.

For more information about the ADA, please visit www.ada.gov, or call the Department of Justice’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TDD). Information about filing a complaint, including instructions for filing a complaint online, can be found at https://www.justice.gov/crt/how-file-complaint.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Adine S. Momoh for the District of Minnesota handled the matter. The settlement agreement can be accessed at: New Hartford Township Settlement Agreement.