Leading charities like Mencap and Sense have co-signed a letter from United Response, calling on government to guarantee accessible voting for people with disabilities and autism.
There are approximately 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK. But, a United Response survey in 2021 found that only two thirds of people knew that people with learning disabilities have a legal right to vote.
The same year a Dimensions survey found that 80% of people felt that polling stations weren’t accessible for people with a learning disability and 61% of people reported that polling station staff did not always make legally entitled reasonable adjustments.
And, RNIB have serious concerns that the Elections Bill will fail to protect blind and partially sighted people’s right to vote independently and in secret.
