Local elections: Visually impaired voters warn many are still unable to cast ballot in secret

  • ITV's Rebecca Haworth explains why casting a vote can be a challenge for those who are blind or partially sighted

Disability campaigners are calling for every polling station in the UK to become fully accessible after research revealed only 10% of blind voters could vote in secret at the last election.

The Ballot Act of 1872 should have guaranteed everyone the right to vote independently and in secret.

Yet more than 150 years on, just one in five blind and partially sighted voters say they can vote independently and secretly, as not every polling station has the correct range of equipment in place.

One visually impaired voter even told ITV News Anglia she had doubts that her carer had voted for her desired candidate, as she disagreed with her decision.

A tactile voting device- but they can require help to use them. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Currently those blind and partially sighted can use a tactile voting device, which attaches to the top of the ballot paper.

It has numbered lift up flaps (which are raised and in braille) directly over the boxes where voters mark their vote - but they must ask someone to read out the list of candidates tothem.

Sassy Wyatt, 33, lost her vision in 2013 after having had eye problems since the age of 15.

“I am fortunate that where I live they do have tactile and braille overlays," Ms Wyatt, from Luton, told ITV News Anglia.

"It means that as long as I memorise who I want to vote for I can then use these tactile marking overlays to make a cross in the right box. However I still don’t do it in secret.

"It is really frustrating and it's quite demoralising because we've been able to vote for 150 years and I'm still having to fight for my right to be able to vote independently and hopefully secretly. It is so tough.”

Blind campaigner Bernie Reddington was one of the first people to try the new audio voting device in Norfolk. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Bernie Reddington from Norfolk lost her sight completely 30 years ago and said she has had some bad voting experiences.

"I did originally rely on a postal vote and I had an encounter with a care provider who was helping me with this ballot paper," she said.

"She didn't agree with the decision I made in the vote. I don't have a clue whether she actually voted for the person I wanted her to."

Now a new audio device is being used in Norfolk which reads out the candidates on the flick of a tab.

It allows partially-sighted voters to be more confident that their cross is going in the right box and helps them make their decision in secret.

The returning officer for the police and crime commissioner vote in Norfolk, Trevor Holden, said the new audio devices were available at several polling stations.

"We know we've got two polling stations in the districts where people will need them and then we've got a third one that we're holding centrally so if someone does want to come in and vote then they can," he said.

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