General Election: Blind voters say they're still struggling to cast their ballot privately
ITV's Katie Templeton-Knight explains why casting a vote can be a challenge for those who are blind or partially sighted
Visually impaired people in our region say they're still struggling to cast their ballot privately.
In the last General Election, only 13 per cent of those registered blind could vote independently and in secret according to the Royal National Institute of Blind (RNIB).
Edward Bebbington has muscular degeneration which left him partially sighted twenty years ago.
Edward’s wife helps him with the voting process but says more needs to be done to make voting accessible for all.
He said: "I do find it frustrating because the philosophy we have in this country, and legislation that's been passed, the Equality Act, one shouldn't be disadvantaged by one's disability.
"It does make you feel a bit different when you actually just want to play your part in society.
The Electoral Commission says there are ways someone visually impaired can vote independently and in secret.
Accessibility at the polling station
To support blind and partially sighted voters, all polling stations are required to have:
A tactile voting device
A large print copy of the ballot paper for reference
Magnifiers
Additional lighting
Assistance from polling station staff to be guided to the voting booth and to mark your vote if needed
The standard aid currently in use is the tactile voting device, a thin plastic template which can be placed over a ballot paper to help locate where to vote for your preferred candidate.
However, as it doesn't provide the names of the candidates, many blind or partially sighted people need further assistance to vote.
Voters can request a McGonagle Reader, a tactile device with an integrated audio player.
They can also call a helpline to listen to the full list of candidates in their constituency and select their preferred candidate using a tactile voting device or large printed ballot paper, allowing them to cast their ballot independently and in secret.
Mark Costello from Carlisle Sight Support said: "Not everybody's fully aware of what the accessibility offers are from local authorities when it comes round to election time.
"The onus is very much on individuals to find out that for themselves."
Campaigners say many partially sighted people haven't been able to vote independently or in private and have instead had to rely on proxy voting or postal votes aided by someone else.
Mr Bebbington said: "If I went to the polling station, there is help there and the staff could actually commit to vote for me, vote on your behalf.
"But I really don't want to share with a complete stranger which way I want to vote."
"Lack of accessibility"
Terri Balon from the RNIB said: "Only 13% of blind and partially sighted people have been able to vote independently and in secret because of the lack of accessibility within the polling stations.
"People want to be able to observe the right that others have had for 150 years, and yet blind and partially sighted people still can't take up that opportunity."
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