Please note that some of the resources available to download here refer to specific election dates which may be in the past. However, they are still applicable to elections taking place at other times.
Making voting accessible
Voting in local and general elections should be accessible to you, whether you choose to vote at a polling station or in another way (for example by post).
Under the Disability Discrimination Act (1995), we are legally obliged to make any ‘reasonable’ physical adjustments to polling stations to make them accessible to people with disabilities. Polling Stations used in North Kesteven are assessed to ensure they are accessible to people with disabilities as far as is possible within the limitations of the buildings which are available for use in the area. If you find any problems on the day of the election, please make the Presiding Officer aware or alternatively contact Electoral Services either by phoning 01529 414155 or email elections@n-kesteven.gov.uk.
If you are voting in person in a polling station and need assistance, please ask the polling staff who will be happy to help.
Ways to vote
If you find it difficult to get to your polling station, you can vote in a different way.
Voting by post
If you apply in time, you can have a postal vote. A ballot paper will be sent to you approximately 10 days before the date of an election. Mark the ballot paper and return it to the Returning Officer before 10.00pm on the day of the election.
For more information about postal votes, visit the postal voting webpage.
Voting by proxy
If you apply in time, you can have a proxy vote. This allows you to nominate another person to go to your polling station on election day and vote on your behalf. The person you choose must agree to do this and they must not have agreed to act as a proxy for more than two people unless they are related to them. A poll card will be sent to your proxy telling them which polling station to go to.
For more information please visit the proxy voting webpage
Blind or visually impaired voters
All polling stations will provide a tactile voting device and at least one large print display version of the ballot paper which can be taken into the polling booth to assist you in marking the ballot paper. This makes it easier to vote without another person’s help if you’re blind or visually impaired. You can ask polling station staff to read the list of candidates and their details to you.
If you wish you can also take your phone into the polling booth and use the magnifier, torch or text- to-speech apps, to help you vote.
If you would prefer someone else to mark the ballot paper for you, you may take a companion to the polling station or ask the Presiding Officer to mark it for you. The companion must be either a close relative (father, mother, brother, sister, spouse, civil partner, son or daughter – if they are aged 18 years or over) or a qualified elector and they would need to a complete a simple declaration that the polling station staff will give to them.
Deaf voters
The Electoral Commission have worked with the British Deaf Association to create a series of BSL videos for deaf voters which can be found here.
Voters with learning disabilities
Mencap have created a series of mini easy read guides for people with a learning disability, including information on the different ways you can vote and how to vote by post, proxy and at a polling station. Some are available to download from this page and the full set of guides can be found on the Mencap website.
Power of attorney and voting
A ‘power of attorney’ is a process in which a person gives one or more people - the attorney(s) - the legal right to manage their affairs because they are incapable of doing so themselves. A power of attorney does not extend to the electoral process. An attorney has no powers to vote on behalf of another person, unless they have been appointed proxy on a form signed by the person.
Voting information in alternative formats
The Electoral Commission website contains information which can be downloaded in large print and various language formats and as audio files.
The following websites may also have useful information:
You searched for elections - United Response
Voting and elections: what you need to know - RNIB - See differently
The Electoral Commission
The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. One of its aims is to look at how to modernise the electoral process, including how to make voting more accessible to disabled people. Its website contains lots of information about elections and the democratic process, including information with particular relevance to disabled people.