44.3.111    THE ELDERLY ELECTOR

(1) The Voting Accessibility Act defines "elderly" as 65 years of age or older.

(2) The following requirements are intended to benefit elderly electors and shall be implemented by the 1986 June primary election:

(a) Election administrators shall conspicuously display instructions for voting, printed in over-size type, preferably 18 point type, or larger, at each polling place for every election and instructions for registering at each permanent registration facility.

(b) Each polling place shall have a desk, table, or other surface no more than 36 inches in height, with room to accommodate a chair or a wheelchair to permit physically feeble or mobility-impaired electors to vote in a seated position. Adequate privacy shall be provided to ensure the seated elector the same degree of ballot secrecy enjoyed by other electors.

(c) In all polling places in which a stylus is used to mark voting device ballots, at least one stylus shall have a large, easily graspable handle. At least one pen or pencil in each polling place shall be over-sized and easily graspable.

(d) Extra seating shall be provided for elderly electors to rest while waiting their turn to vote. Election judges shall ensure that the seating is available for those for whom it is intended.

History: This rule is advisory only, but may be considered a correct interpretation of the law. 13-1-202, 13-13-111, 13-13-112, MCA; IMP, 13-1-202, 13-13-111, 13-13-112, MCA; NEW, 1986 MAR p. 462, Eff. 3/28/86.