Understanding the barriers to voting for disabled people
By identifying and understanding the physical, psychological and information barriers disabled people may face when voting, you will be better able to make appropriate arrangements to help support them.
Some of the barriers and challenges disabled voters face include:
not having accessible information about the voting process
written instructions not being available in plain English or easy read format
lack of information about a companions assisting with voting
lack of information about the experience of voting at a polling station causing anxiety about things such as:
travelling to the polling station, especially if it is for the first time
being able to find and access the polling station
knowing what will happen once there
knowing what the process for voting is
the possibility of lots of people being there at the same time
the possibility that there will be lots of noise
feeling rushed to make decisions quickly
queueing
the building/polling station not being accessible
for example, if there are steps or the layout inside is unsuitable for wheelchairs to access
instructions not being provided in a format that is accessible to assist people with:
visual impairments or blindness
hearing impairment or hearing loss
dyslexia
learning disabilities
cognitive impairments
polling station staff not having the skills, training or experience to communicate effectively
support or auxiliary aids not being easily accessible or available to help voters to vote independently and secretly
seating or other arrangements not being available to support those unable to stand in a queue
polling station staff not having the skills, training or experience to support voters with neurodivergence and hidden disabilities to vote independently and secretly.
Additional barriers for blind and partially sighted people
The method of voting – by making a cross in a specific location on a piece of paper – is principally a visual exercise. For this reason, blind and partially sighted people face additional barriers that other people without sight loss do not face:
absence of additional equipment or sufficient light can make it difficult or impossible for blind or partially sighted people to:
read the names on the ballot paper
make a mark in a specific location on the ballot paper
verify their vote independently after making their mark on the ballot paper
polling station staff being unaware that blind and partially sighted people may experience barriers when navigating the polling station environment
polling station staff not having the skills, training or experience to support voters with sight loss to vote independently and secretly. For example, being unfamiliar with accessible voting equipment
polling stations not having the equipment or polling station staff being unaware of the equipment that can support blind and partially sighted people – for example, the handheld copy of the large print sample version of the ballot paper and the correct tactile voting device
polling station staff not having sufficient awareness about sight-loss and not knowing how to appropriately interact with someone with sight loss