Representation of the People Bill – Committee Stage (Lords) – Accessibility and equipment for blind and partially sighted voters
Friday 30 October 2026
An amendment to the Representation of the People Bill has been tabled which relates to the equipment provided at polling stations to support disabled voters. This briefing highlights key considerations and background. Other information about the Bill is available on the Commission’s website.
100 [Lord Blunkett] would require certain equipment to be provided to people who find it difficult or impossible to vote because they are blind, partially sighted, or because of another disability in order for them to be able to vote independently and in secret.
Please get in touch if you have any questions about the content of this briefing, or the Bill in general: [email protected]
Blind and partially sighted voters: equipment and secret voting
- All voters, including blind and partially sighted voters, should be able to vote independently and secretly.
- The Elections Act 2022 introduced a new requirement for Returning Officers (ROs) to provide such equipment as is reasonable to enable or make it easier for disabled people to vote independently and in secret at the polling station. This replaced the previous prescribed list of support, increasing flexibility for ROs while also encouraging innovation and speeding up the process for making changes to keep up with assistive technology developments and as gaps in support are identified.
- Scottish and Welsh Governments introduced legislation ahead of the May 2026 polls to align the accessibility provisions for Scottish Parliament and Senedd elections with those introduced by the Elections Act for UK elections. The Commission must give guidance on this duty and consult on this guidance. ROs must have regard to the guidance when performing their duties.
Equipment currently provided at polling stations
- The Commission’s guidance on assistance with voting for disabled voters includes a list of equipment that Returning Officers should provide as a minimum in all polling stations. Tactile voting devices are included on this list. At the May 2026 elections, we found that nearly all polling stations provided a tactile voting device in England (98%), Scotland (100%) and Wales (100%).
- Further to the minimum list of equipment that Returning Officers should provide at all polling stations, our guidance also advises Returning Officers to consider what additional equipment they may need to provide to enable or make it easier for disabled voters to cast their vote based on the specific needs of voters in their area. The guidance includes a list of additional equipment it could be helpful to provide, which includes audio solutions. It also highlights that voters with sight loss may use apps on their mobile phones or bring their own assistive equipment to help them read documents in the polling booth or in conjunction with a tactile voting device.
- At the May 2026 elections in England, the number of polling stations providing audio solutions increased from 11% in 2025, to 41%. In Wales and Scotland, audio solutions were available in 89% and 97% of polling stations respectively.
- We updated our guidance in late 2025 following a public consultation with voters, electoral administrators and disability groups (including those working on behalf of blind and visually impaired voters).
- We received a number of submissions on audio solutions. Views have also been sought through user testing on different audio solutions. We recognise that audio solutions can be a helpful option for some blind and visually impaired voters, but user testing research findings, including trials run by governments in collaboration with charities, have been mixed to date. There have been differing views among participants as to their preferred audio solution, with strengths and limitations identified for each option. Consultation responses we have received also provided a range of differing views.
- We have not seen compelling evidence that audio devices would be the best option to support blind and partially sighted voters in every polling station. It is unlikely to be feasible or proportionate for ROs to procure, fund and set up the number of devices needed to be able to provide one in every polling station, and, considering the range of views identified above, it would not necessarily represent the best or preferred way to support all blind and partially sighted voters. The UK’s governments and local authorities would need to provide significant additional funding to support mandatory provision of audio devices in every polling station.
- Including audio devices on the list of additional equipment gives Returning Officers the flexibility to fulfil their legal duties and support disabled voters in their area holistically and sensitively. Requiring Returning Officers to provide tactile and audio equipment at every polling station would limit the scope for further flexibility as other more effective solutions are identified in future.
Our recommendations on accessibility
- Our recent post‑poll reports (2023-2026) found that, although Returning Officers provide a range of accessibility equipment and support at polling stations, awareness of this support remains low. Many voters are unaware of the equipment available, or the help that can be provided by polling station staff or companions.
- We continue to recommend increasing awareness of the accessibility support available at polling stations. Clear, accessible information should be provided to explain what support voters can expect, including the equipment available and how to request additional assistance. This information should be communicated consistently across multiple channels, online and offline. It should be on poll cards, local authority websites in good time ahead of the election, and within polling stations themselves.
- We will support this by continuing to raise awareness among voters, working with the UK’s governments, local authorities, charities and civil society organisations, and through local and national media. Ahead of the May 2026 elections, we published additional accessibility guidance for ROs, including examples of good practice, and launched a new webpage for voters on accessibility at polling stations. We will continue to report on barriers to voting and accessibility after future elections.