Raising awareness about the voting process and support available
This section of the guidance covers the actions you can take to raise awareness of the voting process and the support that is available for voters.
It is important that you have a clear communications strategy to help tackle the barriers some voters face, as well as to ensure voters are aware of the support available to enable or make it easier for them to vote independently and in secret. This should include promotion of not just auxiliary aids but the other types of support you have in place for hidden disabilities, such as easy read or pictorial information about voting, rest areas, or information about when the polling stations might be quieter.
This is as important for by-elections or unscheduled polls, which may take place at short notice, as for scheduled elections. It is important that you think about the timing of communications with voters to ensure they have sufficient time to consider what equipment and support they might need and make any requests for reasonable adjustments in good time before a poll.
You should update your public awareness strategy by identifying how and when you will:
identify and communicate with relevant partners and disability organisations to explore opportunities to work together to raise awareness
promote and communicate information to disabled voters about the process of voting at a polling station and the support and equipment available
ensure information is available in a variety of formats, such as audio, braille and British Sign Language, as well as printed formats including easy read, or step-by-step pictorial versions to support those who cannot access information digitally
plan to have such alternative formats available so that they can also be shared via relevant partners and in local community centres or libraries. Information published on your Local Authority website should comply with web accessibility requirements for public sector bodies
make use of guidance online to ensure you are using inclusive language such as the Social Model of Disability
ask for feedback on the support and equipment provided – for example, by proactively inviting comment via your website or social media, or through partner organisations
To support you in planning and developing your public awareness activity we have a range of resources for you and other organisations to use to promote access to elections. We will look to build on these resources year-on-year as part of our ongoing evaluation and improvement work.