Starke County is the recipient of a $24,000 federal grant to improve voting accessibility.
The Starke County Election Board inspects polling locations annually and determined that the North Bend Township polling location needed to meet federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) standards, according to Starke County Clerk Evelyn Skronski.
The $24,459.35 Health and Human Services grant will be used to purchase and install electrical signals, a new doorway and a handicapped accessibility ramp along with paved handicapped parking spaces at the North Bend Township polling location. A half-circle paved driveway is to be installed for easier entry and exiting from the property.
The application was made to the Indiana Election Division due to the work of the election board members and the township trustees. The entities will be looking for more grant money for similar projects in the near future. The grant application was approved by Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson.
