Disabled voters to check access

Geoff Adams-Spink
BBC News website disability affairs correspondent

Scope is calling for voting to be made more accessible

Disabled people are urged to check how accessible polling stations are in the forthcoming general election.

Disability charity Scope wants disabled people to have equal access to the ballot, including being able to vote independently and in secret.

In 2001 almost 70% of polling stations failed a basic access test.

Some people had to vote in the street or have their ballot marked for them. Others had to go home without casting a vote at all.

Although there is a requirement to produce ballot papers in large print and to provide tactile voting devices, these were frequently not available in 2001.

The tactile voting template is like a large stencil that fits over the ballot paper.

It allows visually impaired people to put a cross in the appropriate box once they know the order of the candidates on the ballot paper.

Improving access for voters Use buildings with step free access Provide low-level booths Make sure lighting is adequate Provide ballot papers in Braille and large print, and have tactile templates available Make sure polling station staff have proper training and know how to use equipment Consult disabled people so voting methods don't exclude anyone Use an alternative venue when access is a problem Provide disabled parking spaces

Scope is asking people to report on their voting experiences as part of its Polls Apart campaign to encourage more disabled people to become more involved in politics and elections.

"Results from our previous campaigns clearly show that democracy is currently not something available to all," said Scope campaigns manager Ruth Scott.

"This year we want 100% of polling stations to be fully accessible, especially as most of them should now be covered by the Disability Discrimination Act."

At one polling station in 2001, a volunteer reported that the low level polling booth was lying on the floor.

Apparently staff thought that it would be unsafe if someone leant on it, and had decided not to use it.

Another voter who needed to use a tactile template said staff seemed unaware of how to use it.

And a third was unable to park near to the polling station which could only be reached by going down eight steps using a narrow staircase.

Since 2001 new laws mean more buildings should be accessible

The building had at least two rooms with level access from the outside.

Scope says that there are about 15,000 disabled people per constituency and that the authorities should do far more to enable them to take part in the ballot.

The Disability Rights Commission is also concerned that not enough people are taking part in elections.

It recently launched an initiative to encourage people with learning difficulties to vote.

"Disabled people face real discrimination on voting day," said Disability Rights Commissioner, Eve Rank.

"Over complicated voting literature and ballot papers make it impossible for them to vote with confidence, with many not even getting as far as the polling booth."

The DRC says information should be available in formats like Easy Read which is more readily accessible to learning disabled people.

Scope plans to publish the results of its survey about a month after polling day.