Launch of RNIB’s Turned Out 2024 report
RNIB logo – See differently.
RNIB has launched the latest research into the barriers to voting people with sight loss face, examining experiences of the 2024 UK General Election.
The Turned Out 2024 report, highlights the accessibility barriers experienced by blind and partially sighted people in July’s Election. These challenges include a lack of accessible voting information, inaccessible methods of voting, inaccessible polling stations, and inadequate support.
Only a quarter of blind people (26 per cent) said that the current system allows them to vote independently and in secret and 73 per cent of blind and partially sighted people didn’t know they could request reasonable adjustments at the polling station.
Accessible voting solutions are out there but they need to be made widely available and publicised to the voters who could use them.
We will continue to work with the UK Government, the Electoral Commission and Local Authorities to make voting independently, and in secret, a reality.
The Minister responsible for voting, Alex Norris MP, wrote in October 2024 that,
'This Government was elected on a manifesto commitment to encourage participation in our democracy and ensure all legitimate voters have the ability to vote in our elections.'
We look forward to making sure this includes the full participation of blind and partially sighted voters.
You can help us keep the pressure up by sharing your experiences of voting on social media using the hashtag #AccessibleVoting, and by reading the Turned Out 2024 report and sharing its findings with friends. We’ll keep you up to date on how the accessible voting campaign progresses.
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