The consultation asked for feedback on the draft accessibility guidance for Returning Officers. Returning Officers are responsible for the delivery of elections - and since the Elections Act has passed, bringing with it changes on how accessibility is managed at polling stations - the guidance needs updating.
Disabled people make up 22% of the UK population, that’s 14.6 million people. Unlike other protected characteristics – becoming Disabled can happen to anyone at any time. With an ageing population, it will likely impact most people in their life at some point – yet Disabled people consistently face barriers when trying to vote, especially when trying to vote independently and in secret. We also know that the elections act (particularly its introduction of compulsory voter ID) will have made this process even more difficult, so we highlighted those barriers in our response.
DR UK's response included some general feedback on the language and tone of the guidance, particularly around making it stronger and the Returning Officer's legal duties clearer, but we also took the opportunity to highlight some wider barriers. These include but are not limited to - the improvement needed for tactile voting equipment, and the accessibility of voter registrations and party manifestos.
Bethany Bale, DR UK Policy and Campaigns Officer, said: "there is zero research on the levels of political participation or civic engagement of Disabled people in the UK, but we can infer from context - and the many barriers that we know exist - that the Disabled electorate are consistently excluded from voting. Improved practice in polling stations and greater awareness from staff is urgently needed. It's essential that Returning Officer's are aware of their legal duties under the Equality Act and that there is accountability for Returning Officers who allow discriminatory practice to take place."
