As has been widely covered, there are huge changes in how voters will cast their ballot on Thursday, May 4 with the introduction of a photo identification requirement. The new requirement will come into effect for the local elections across Greater Manchester.
However, that is not the only change voters will experience on Thursday as they mark their ballot paper as other legislation comes into effect designed to make the act of voting more accessible.
The Election Act of 2022 introduced measures requiring authorities to provide disabled voters with specialist equipment to support them to vote if needed, and allow anyone over the age of 18 to accompany them in the polling station.
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The changes are applicable throughout Greater Manchester.
A spokesman for Bolton Council, said: “From May 2023, all polling stations are being updated to improve accessibility to disabled voters. We aim to provide greater flexibility and choice in how disabled voters are supported to vote at polling stations.”
A summary of the changes are set out below.
Arriving at the polling station:
- Polling stations will have greater accessibility in the form of ramps to gain access to the building.
- These may be temporary access ramps which are included specifically for election day.
- Parking and disabled parking may be provided if it is already available at the polling station.
Signage:
- All polling stations have a large ‘Polling Station’ sign attached outside for increased visibility.
- Signage may also be used to provide clear directions outside and / or inside the building.
Polling station staff:
- If you have any questions or need any help, please ask a member of polling station staff.
- All returning officers will be required to take reasonable steps to provide support for disabled voters at polling stations; they can help with questions about voter ID and voting.
Polling station equipment
The following equipment will be provided in your polling station:
- Polling booths to allow you to cast your vote in secret, including a polling booth which is accessible to wheelchair users.
- A screen, private area or separate room if you want to show your photographic voter ID in private.
- Appropriate lighting for ample visibility.
- A seat for use if necessary.
- Pencils including large chunky pencils and those with pencil grips for you to mark your ballot paper.
- You can bring you own pencil or pen if you would prefer.
- Magnifiers to increase the size of text on the ballot paper.
Assistance with voting
- A large sample copy of the ballot paper will be displayed in your polling station and a sample hand-held copy will be available for you to take into the polling booth to use if needed.
- A tactile voting device to assist voters in marking their vote on a ballot paper will be available.
- Audio recordings of the wards, their candidates, addresses of the candidates and the party they are representing can be found on the the notices and results page of council websites.
- You may use any specialist devices or apps in the polling station that assist you to cast your vote independently. For example, speech apps, video magnifiers.
- You may take your assistance animal with you into the polling station.
- You can also ask the presiding officer for assistance, if needed. This includes asking the presiding officer to mark the ballot paper for you. The presiding officer will need to complete a form to record they have assisted you to vote.
- You may bring a companion with you to help you cast your vote. The companion must be aged 18 or over (but the companion does not need to be registered to vote). A companion can only assist up to two people at the same local election. The presiding officer will need to complete a form where a companion assists a disabled voter, and the companion must sign a simple declaration.
Requesting additional support
- Disabled voters who require additional support which is not listed, can contact the elections team at the applicable council to see if they can help
Information available in other languages in the Polling Station
- In polling stations the following legal notices will be available in English, Urdu, Gujrati, Punjabi, Somali and Polish.
- How to vote at this election – displayed inside and outside the polling station (this includes a pictorial guide).
- A notice containing the accepted forms of photographic ID that a voter needs to produce – displayed inside the polling station.
- A notice on how to mark the ballot paper at this election – displayed inside each polling booth.
Voter ID
- From May 2023 there will be a new requirement for voters to show verifiable photo identification at all polling stations to vote in elections.
- The new requirement will come into effect for the local elections on Thursday, May 4 2023.
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