Global Initiative to Enfranchise People with Disabilities: United Kingdom - www.electionaccess.org
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United Kingdom

General Right to Vote
Electoral Law
Representation of the People Act
(2000)

  • Section 1, subsection (1) states, "A person is entitled to vote as an elector at a parliamentary election in any constituency if on the date of the poll he (a) is registered in the register of parliamentary electors for that constituency; (b) is not subject to any legal incapacity to vote (age apart); (c) is either a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland; and (d) is of voting age (that is, 18 years or over)."

Exclusion Based on Intellectual Disability
Electoral Law
Representation of the People Act
(1983)

  • Disqualification on the grounds of mental incapacity

Representation of the People Act
(2000)

  • Section 2 discusses the "disenfranchisement of offenders detained in mental hospitals."

Voter Assistance
Electoral Law
Representation of the People Act
(1983)

  • Rule 29 (3A) states, "The returning officer shall also provide each polling station with (a) at least one large version of the ballot paper which shall be displayed inside the polling station for the assistance of voters who are partially-sighted; and (b) a device of such description as may be prescribed for enabling voters who are blind or partially-sighted to vote without any need for assistance from the presiding officer or any companion."

Representation of the People Act
(2000)

  • Section 13 revises Rule 39 of Representation of the People Act of 1983. This rule now reads:
    • (1) If a voter makes an application to the presiding officer to be allowed, on the grounds of (a) blindness or other physical incapacity...to vote with the assistance of another person by whom he is accompanied (in these rules referred to as 'the companion'), the presiding officer shall require the voter to declare, orally or in writing, whether he is so incapacitated by his blindness or other incapacity...as to be unable to vote without assistance.
    • (2) If the presiding officer (a) is satisfied that the voter is so incapacitated, and (b) is also satisfied by a written declaration made by the companion (in these rules referred to as 'the declaration made by the companion of a voter with disabilities') that the companion (i) is a qualified person within the meaning of this rule, and (ii) has not previously assisted more than one voter with disabilities to vote at the election, the presiding officer shall grant the application, and then anything which is by these rules required to be done to or by that voter in connection with the giving of his vote may be done to, or with the assistance of, the companion.
    • (3) For the purposes of these rules, a person is a voter with disabilities if he has made such a declaration as is mentioned in paragraph (1) above, and a person shall be qualified to assist a voter with disabilities to vote if that person (a) is a person who is entitled to vote as an elector at the election; or (b) is the father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, son or daughter of the voter and has attained the age of 18 years.
    • (4) The name and number in the register of electors of every voter whose vote is given in accordance with this rule and the name and address of the companion shall be entered on a list (in these rules referred to as 'the list of voters with disabilities assisted by companions'). In the case of a person voting as proxy for an elector, the number to be entered together with the voter's name shall be the elector's number.
    • (5) The declaration made by the companion (a) shall be in the form in the Appendix; and (b) shall be made before the presiding officer at the time when the voter applies to vote with the assistance of a companion and shall forthwith be given to the presiding officer who shall attest and retain it.
    • (6) No fee or other payment shall be charged in respect of the declaration.
  • Further, the phrases "blind person" and "blind voter" are substituted "voter with disabilities. A note is added: "A voter with disabilities is a voter who has made a declaration under the parliamentary elections rules that he is so incapacitated by his blindness or other incapacity... as to be unable to vote without assistance."

Representation of People Regulations
(2001)

  • Section 12 states...
    • (1) The device referred to in rule 29(3A)(b) of the rules in Schedule 1 to the 1993 shall be of the description set out in this regulation.
    • (2) The device must be capable of being attached firmly to a ballot paper and of being removed from it after use without damage to the paper.
    • (3) On the right-hand side of the device there shall be tabs of equal size which satisfy the condition in paragraphs (4) to (7) below.
    • (4) The tabs shall be capable of being positioned on the ballot paper so that each one is above one of the spaces to the right of the particulars of the candidates on which the vote is to be marked ('the relevant space').
    • (5) Each tab shall be numbered so that, when the devide is positioned over a ballot paper, the number of each tab corresponds to that of the candidate whose particulars are to the left of the relevant space covered by the tab in question.
    • (6) Each number on a tab shall be in a raised form so that it can be clearly identified by touch.
    • (7) Each tab shall be capable of being lifted so as to reveal the relevant space and so that there is sufficient room to allow a voter to mark a cross on that space.

Voter Manuals
My vote website
**This is a government run website intended to educate the public about procedures related to casting a vote.

  • The accessibility page states that polling stations must be made accessible for persons with disabilities.
  • The accessibility page states, “Tactile voting templates and large print versions of ballot papers are available at all polling stations. You can take a companion with you to assist you or ask the presiding officer at the polling station for help.”

“Disabled persons voting rights” flyer

  • It states that disabled voters are entitled to...
    • “The right to request assistance to mark the ballot paper. Disabled voters may request the assistance of the Presiding Officer to mark the ballot paper for them. Alternatively, they can bring someone with them to help them vote (this person must be an immediate family member over 18 years old or a qualified elector.
    • Tactile voting device. This is a plastic device that is fixed onto the ballot paper so visually impaired people or those with limited dexterity can mark their ballot paper in secret.
    • Large-print version of the ballot paper. A large-print version of the ballot paper should be clearly displayed inside the polling station and a copy can be given to voters to take it with them into the polling booth. A voter can’t vote on the large-print version, but it can be used for reference.”

Poll Worker Manuals
Managing Electoral Registration in Great Britain: Guidance for Electoral Registration Officers
(2008)

  • Part B, section 5.1 states, “Offenders detained in a mental hospital: A person who is detained under an order or direction made under the provisions listed in Section 3A of the RPA 1983 or is unlawfully at large when they would otherwise be so detained is not legally capable of voting and therefore cannot be included in the register of electors.”
  • Part F, section 5 states...
    • A person who is a patient in a mental hospital or an establishment maintained wholly or mainly for the reception and treatment of persons suffering from any form of mental disorder, whether or not they are detained there, is entitled to register as an elector. A patient who is not qualified by virtue of residence at any place other than the hospital may choose to register by means of a declaration of local connection in respect of the address where they would be living if they were not a patient or an address where they used to live before they were a patient.
    • 5.2 Patients in mental hospitals who are detained offenders are not legally capable of voting and so cannot be registered, whether as an ordinary elector or by way of a declaration of local connection.
    • 5.3 Persons with a mental health problem resident at an address other than a mental hospital or special establishment for reception of such persons should be registered as an ordinary elector.
    • 5.4 The Electoral Registration Officer is not required to canvass mental hospitals and establishments for treatment of persons with a mental health condition, nor institutions for the detention of remand prisoners, to identify persons for registration purposes.59 The Electoral Registration Officer should, however, try to ensure that all eligible people are registered in such places as part of their duty to maintain the registers.60 One possible course of action could be to provide such places with the relevant application forms and offer guidance to the staff of those locations as to the registration requirements and processes.

Off-Site Voting
Electoral Law
Representation of People Act
(1983)

  • Section 19, subsection (1) states, "A person voting as an elector at a parliamentary election shall do so in person at the polling station allotted to him under the parliamentary elections rules except in so far as this section makes exceptions for...(c) those unable or likely to be unable, by reason either of blindness or any other physical incapacity...to go in person to the polling station or, if able to go, to vote unaided..."
  •  Section 20 states, "(1) An application to be treated as an absent voter at parliamentary elections shall be made to the registration officer and shall be allowed by him if he is satisfied that the applicant is, or will if registered be, entitled under section 19 above to vote as an absent voter. (2) The application shall be for a particular election only, unless it is based on...(b) the applicant's physical incapacity..."

Voter Manuals
About my vote website
**This is a government run website intended to educate the public about procedures related to casting a vote.

  • The accessibility page states that blind voters and persons in wheelchairs are permitted to vote by post if they desire.
  • The postal voting page states that, “Anyone who is registered to vote can apply to vote by post.”
  • The voting by proxy page states, “You can only apply for a long-term proxy vote if you have a specific reason, such as a disability...If you are suddenly incapacitated or taken ill, you can apply to vote by proxy for medical reasons up to 5pm on polling day.

“Disabled people’s voting rights” flyer

  • The flyer states, “It is the responsibility of the relevant council to designate polling places within their area and to keep these under review. In designating polling places the council must have regard for disabled voters. If an elector is unable to enter the polling station because of physical disability, the Presiding Officer may take the ballot paper to the elector.”

Poll Worker Manuals
Managing Electoral Registration in Great Britain: Guidance for Electoral Registration Officers
(2008)

  • Part G, section 1.2 states, “All registered electors have the option to vote by post. In the case of applications to vote by proxy, however, there are requirements to be met in terms of the reasons for the application and attestation, which depend on whether the application is for a single election or for a longer period.”
  • Part G, section 4 states...
    • “4.1 There are a number of acceptable reasons in law in respect of which a person can choose to vote by proxy for an indefinite or definite period of time. These reasons are: blindness, other disability...”
    • “4.2 Proxy applications for an indefinite or definite period for reasons of blindness or other disability (excluding those who are registered blind by the local authority or who are in receipt of the higher rate of mobility component of the disability living allowance) and occupation/employment/service/attendance on a course require attestation, and the reason why a proxy vote is needed must be stated or indicated on the application.”
  • Part G, section 4.10-4.14 include more information on the attestation of a proxy application for a blind or otherwise disabled voter.
  • Sections 4.29 - 4.33 discuss emergency registration for proxy voting due to a medical emergency.
  • Part G, section 5 states that there are no restrictions on postal voting and details the specific method of registration for a postal vote.



 
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