Draft report results of polling station accessibility survey pilot project august thru october 2009

Fondacija Global Kontakt Global KontaktNikole Tesle 3, 77000 Bihac, Bosnia and Hercegovina

DISCLAMER

The folowing information is based on hand tabulation and is subject to human error. A final report generated by computer database may present slightly different findings. However, the folowing information demostrates certain overall characteristics that can be used for action plan purposes

Overview

41 locations, 36 forms 33 locations in Bihac 3 locations in Bosanska Petrovac 5 locations in Velika Kladuša 26 schools 9 mz 6 other locations teams from 6 political parties

Exterior 50 m from the main entrance door

On and off street parking 0 locations had permanent off street parking

reserved for PWD, 14 locations had parking with non compliant surfaces (7 gravel, 4 mixture, 3 dirt)

9 locations had some kind of on street parking, 20 locations did not.

2 locations had permanent on street parking reserved for PWD-s within 50 m from the polling station.

Route to the main entrance

From off street parking 24 locations had an obvious route from off street parking to the main

door, 17 did not 20 locations had route made from asphalt 18 locations had routes that were level 8 had barriers on the route

From the on street parking 13 had a marked route, 16 did not have an obvious route 8 had routes made from asphalt 12 routes were level 3 had barriers

Main entrance

Entrance ramps and stairs

32 locations didn’t have entrance ramps

27 locations had stairs 8 locations had 1 step 4 locations had 2 steps 15 locations had more than

3 steps 9 locations had handrails

Entrance door

Average width of the main entrance doors was106 cm, standard is 81,6 cm

Average threshold height on the main entrance doors was 8,3 cm, standard is 1,3 cm.

19 had doors that open IN 19 had doors that open OUT 29 were easy to open 14 doors opend less than 90° 24 opend more than 90°

Subjective exterior rating, 50 m from the main entrance doors

3 locations 100% no changes needed

25 locations 75-99%small permanent changes or temporary changes needed

8 locations 50-74% major permanent changes needed

*Standard rule is that exterior/interior, gravel surfaces, damaged surfaces are NOT with compliance with access for PWD-s. If these results were taken into consideration, the average access grade would be much LOWER.

Interior ( from the main entrance door to

the polling room ) 8 locations had abrupt changes

in level, higher than the standard height of 0,6 cm.

10 had a protruding objects in the path, 5 had an object that extended more than 10 cm in to the path.

3 locations were rated LESS than 50% concerning the accessibility and were defined as a not suitable for a polling station locations.

Polling room door

16 open IN 20 open OUT Average width was 91 cm 9 doors opend less than 90° 24 doors opend more than 90° Average threshold was 3,6 cm,

standard is 1,3 cm

Subjective interior rating

12 locations got a 100% rating no changes needed

17 locations were rated 75-99% small permanent changes or temporary changes needed

3 locations were rated 50-74% major permanent changes needed

3 locations got less than 50%location is not suitable for a polling station location

Overall

28 out of 41 locations recived an overall rating

2 locations 100% no changes needed

15 locations 75-99% small permanent changes or temporary changes needed

11 locations 50-74% major permanent changes needed

Good results, but there is many things to do

With all results, the standards of reasonable accommodation in BiH were applied.

They include the fact that PWD-voters may bring an escort to assist them at the polls and may utilize mobile voting teams.

Please review the survey form for each location when determining specific accessibilty requirements.

Discussion topics Defining the Reasonable Accommodation

Relations between the temporary vs. permanent changes concerning the accessibility.

Entrance and changes to the threshold for making the entrance ramp

Markings on the route and reserved parking spaces The role of the mobile teams

Media and promotion of the political parties