Assembly election: Blind and partially sighted get new help in voting

Previously, many of the 56,400 people registered blind or partially sighted have had to rely on proxy voting or assistance filling in postal voting forms or the ballot paper at the polling station.

Ahead of next week’s Assembly elections and after consultation with members of the Visually Impaired Sector Consultative Forum, the Electoral Office has announced the availability of the new helpline through which voters can now call to hear the list of candidates in their area, in the order they will appear on the ballot paper.

This will enable blind and partially sighted voters to listen either at home or at the polling station, and select their preferred candidates using a tactile voting device or large print ballot paper.

Paula Beattie, from the Royal National Institute of Blind NI, said: “We believe that it represents a positive step toward ensuring that blind and partially sighted voters can exercise their vote discreetly and independently.

“Something which so many of us take for granted, but which has been too long denied, or severely restricted, for our blind and partially sighted citizens.

“The Electoral Office shares our view that more work needs to be done to evolve viable longer term solutions, to address accessible voting, in future election cycles.

“This includes the introduction of a single device capable of encompassing audio assistance, with a tactile component.”

Chief Electoral Officer Virginia McVea said: “This helpline offers an interim solution while we await the development of an audio product that will further enhance the accessibility of the voting process.

“The helpline will let the public know who the candidates are in their constituency and in what order they appear on the ballot paper.”