Accessibility at polling stations

Everyone should be able to register and cast their vote without facing barriers. They should be able to vote on their own and in secret.

Disabled voters can choose anyone over 18 to help them vote. You can also ask the Presiding Officer to help fill in your ballot paper. They are legally bound to keep your vote secret.

We will take all reasonable steps to support voters with disabilities.

Accessing the polling station

All polling stations are visited and assessed for accessibility.

Temporary ramps are put in place to support access for voters who use a wheelchair or have difficulty using steps if needed.

Polling stations are used (where possible) that have car parks which allow disabled voters to park as close as possible to the entrance.

Information for voters

We provided the following at each polling station:

instructions on how to vote at the election (inside and outside the station)
how to mark the ballot paper at the election in each polling booth
large-print sample copies of the ballot paper to assist voters who are partially sighted
an enlarged hand-held copy of the ballot paper which can be given to voters who are partially sighted

Support

Every polling station will have:

chair or seating for voters who cannot stand for long periods
magnifiers to increase the size of text on a document
tactile voting device to support those visually impaired to mark their vote in the correct place
at least one polling booth at wheelchair level
badges which clearly identify polling station staff who can help (e.g. Presiding Officer and Poll Clerk)
pencil grips to help voters with dexterity impairments to more easily hold and use a pencil

In addition, the Returning Officer also lets you use any text-to-speech apps, torch or magnifier on your phone to assist you in reading your ballot paper.

Other ways to vote

You can also apply to vote by post or have a proxy vote where someone you nominate votes on your behalf.

Find out about different ways to vote

Get in touch

To ask for a reasonable adjustment at your polling station, share ideas or provide feedback you can send us an email at [email protected].

Last updated 16 July 2024