Support to help Bristol voters with disabilities in next week's election

Extra support is available to help Bristol voters with disabilities cast their ballot in the upcoming local elections. Everybody has the right to vote in secret and independently, regardless of whether they are disabled or not.

The local elections will be held on Thursday, May 2, to decide who should run Bristol City Council. Labour has been in power since 2016, led by the mayor Marvin Rees. The results will have major impacts on lots of public services, including care homes, schools and transport.

Some people might struggle to vote in person, as reading the list of candidates and writing an X on a small piece of paper can be difficult for some voters with disabilities. But there is lots of help on offer to make sure everybody can have their say on who they want to run the city.

Read more: How local elections in Bristol will affect the housing crisis

Read more: How transport and getting around Bristol could change from next month

The council’s website says: “All of our polling stations have a dedicated accessibility area for citizens who might need additional support to vote, or an area of privacy to carry out a voter ID check. Speak to our election staff when you arrive at your polling station. They can help you use the accessibility area or offer assistance.”

If you have a mobility impairment, you can get a voting booth that is wheelchair friendly; a chair can be provided to be used while voting; pencils with additional grip; or even help to mark your ballot paper.

If you have a visual impairment, you can get an extra large ballot paper; a Braille voting device; a magnifying glass; an LED light; pencils with extra grip; an audio voting device; and help to mark your ballot paper. Online text-only versions of ballot papers are also available, which can be used with text to speech apps.

For people with neurological differences, like autism, a voting guide in Makaton is available; as well as space to take your time to vote; pencils with extra grip; and help to mark ballot papers.

There is only a limited supply of audio voting devices, so the council recommends requesting one before polling day. This can be done using this online form.

The Electoral Commission has also made a video on YouTube describing in British Sign Language what happens at polling stations, which can be viewed here.

The location of your polling station will be included on your voting card, which should have been sent in the mail already. You do not need to bring this to the polling station, but you must remember to bring photo ID, such as a passport, to be able to vote. Polling booths are open from 7am to 10pm.