Making Voting more Accessible

Ahead of Canada’s October 2020 provincial elections, Elections Saskatchewan (ESK) produced a voter education flyer for people with disabilities. The poster details forms of assistance voters can expect to find at their polling stations as well as changes to voting from home procedures due to COVID-19. The poster is attached below, as well as a description. 

[The text of the poster reads]

Participating in the October 2020 Provincial Election

Making voting more accessible

Returning officers conduct accessibility assessments to ensure:

• Designated parking spaces for voters with disabilities
• Level access to the building
• Appropriate signage and lighting
• Doors and passageways comply with current width, clearance and threshold requirements

Assistance at the polls

• Voters can now use their assisted devices and applications inside the polls, such as technologies for voters who are blind, partially sighted, deaf, hard of hearing, or have a communication difficulty
• Voters can be assisted in depositing their ballot into a ballot box
• An individual may act as a friend to assist up to two voters at the polls
• Pencil grips, paper and clipboard, magnifiers and Braille ballot templates available on request

Election workers sensitivity training video

Our 15,000+ election day workers will receive training on how to assist voters with a disability. This includes a new election training video produced in October 2019 that is available on the Elections Saskatchewan YouTube page in both ASL and Described Video versions.

Vote by mail

Voting by mail is an option for any voter in a Saskatchewan provincial election. It’s a two-step process, and interested voters are encouraged to apply now. Applications must be received at Elections Saskatchewan by October 15. Voters can apply at www.elections.sk.ca/votebymail or by calling 1-877-958-8683.

Changes to homebound voting due to COVID-19

Based on guidance from the Chief Medical Health Officer, the presence of COVID-19 has forced changes to homebound voting in order to protect election workers and voters.  Election workers will not enter voters’ homes this election. Instead,  homebound voters can use the  vote by mail option at  www.elections.sk.ca/homebound.

Learn more at elections.sk.ca

Voting safely is our priority.

SK VOTES 2020

[End of text]