Election Accessibility

We want everyone to be able to vote independently and in private. There should be no barriers to taking part in elections. This page explains the support and resources available to help meet different accessibility needs when voting in person.

If you need any specific assistance at your polling station, please fill in this form. It helps us understand what support or equipment you may need so we can make voting easier for you.

Your polling station will be shown on your poll card, which is usually posted to you about six weeks before an election. All of our polling stations are wheelchair accessible. Access may be flat, via a ramp, or polling station staff will be available to help if required.

 

Support available at all polling stations

  • You can bring a trusted companion to help you vote. They can assist you in the polling booth and will just need to complete a short form with staff.

  • You may bring your own pen or pencil. Polling stations also provide pencils, and grips if you need one.

  • If you cannot stand for long, seating will be available so you can wait comfortably.

  • Polling station staff are there to help. They are trained to offer help, support and guidance. They can explain the voting process, read the ballot paper aloud, or mark your ballot for you if needed.

  • Tactile voting devices, large print ballot papers and magnifiers are available for voters with visual impairments and can be used in conjuction with the posters with links to audio recordings of the ballot papers.

  • You can bring your own aids, such as coloured overlays or mobile phone apps, to help you read or understand the ballot paper.

  • Every polling station has low‑level polling booths.

  • Ramps are provided to make sure wheelchair users can access the polling station.

  • Assistance dogs are welcome.

  • If you are unable to enter the building, staff may be able to bring your ballot paper out to you.

  • We have a Polling Station Support leaflet (pdf, 700kb) you can print and complete before you arrive. You can hand this to staff so they know what support you need.
     

Other available support

  • We can also provide a McGonagle reader to enable those who are blind, partially sighted, have a cognitive disability or who struggle to read the English language, to mark their ballot papers independently.
     
  • If you require the use of this device, or anything else not listed above, please contact us at least ten days prior to polling day to discuss options.
     

Easy Read Guides and other voting resources

Easy Read guides are available to support voters in casting ther vote.  The Electoral Commission has produced these guides:

Easy Read guide to voting at a polling station (pdf, 1.2mb)

Easy Read guide to voting by post (pdf, 1.5mb)

Easy Read guide to voting by proxy (pdf, 1.6mb)


Learning Disability England has also produced accessible resources and information to help you use your vote or support others to use theirs in the upcoming elections.  These resources include information on registering to vote, how to vote and practice ballot papers.  You can find these resources on their website.
 

Report an accessibility issue

If you find an accessibility issue at a polling station, please contact us.