Accessible voting

Registering to vote

The quickest and easiest way to register is to visit Register to vote and complete an online application form.

My Vote My Voice have created this easy-read guide to assist people with learning disabilities and autism when registering online. 

Voting in a Polling Station

We are committed to ensuring that polling stations are accessible for everyone. Every station is also equipped with at least one wheelchair accessible polling booth.  

Once inside the polling station, there are clear instructions on how to vote, in both written and picture formats. Polling Station staff are trained to offer impartial guidance and maintain a stress free environment throughout the day. There are also a number of additional ways in which an elector can receive support.

My Vote, My Voice have created this easy read guide to voting in person.

If you vote in person you will need identification (ID). The types of ID accepted include passport and driving licence. Find out more about voter ID and check if you have the correct one.

If you do not have any of the ID on the list you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate.

Taking someone with you

Anyone who has a disability can now take someone with them into the polling station to help them to vote. The person helping you must be aged 18 or over (or the Polling Station’s Presiding Officer can join an elector in the polling booth and help them mark the ballot paper)

We'll have the following equipment at our polling stations to make voting easier:

  • Tactile Voting Device (which attaches to a ballot paper to allow blind or partially sighted voters to mark their ballot paper with or without assistance)
  • Large copies of the ballot paper
  • Ballot Paper Magnifier (a hand held device which allows an elector to magnify any part of a regular-sized ballot paper) 
  • Pencil grips
  • Chairs for people who cannot stand for long periods

Voting Passport

A voting passport is an A4 sheet of paper to hand to polling staff so they easily can understand the reasonable adjustments needed to enable the person to vote. My Vote My Voice have created a downloadable version that can be handed to any of our staff at the Polling Station.

Voting by post or proxy

If you don’t want to go to the polling station to vote, you can apply for either a postal vote or proxy vote.

Proxy means that someone else can vote for you. Find out about voting by proxy.

If you want to vote by post you’ll need register for your postal vote. Find out about postal voting.

Further information about applying for a postal or proxy vote can be found on our ‘How to vote’ page.

 


Last Updated on Thursday, May 11, 2023