Information for disabled voters

Deciding the best way to vote

Everyone should be able to register and cast their vote, but Deaf and disabled people still face barriers and do not always know their democratic rights. Here are some useful resources.

Before an election, you will be sent a poll card that will tell you where your polling station is. You can also check your polling station by visiting the website: Where do I vote? in the weeks before an election.

Postal or proxy voting

You can vote by post, or by proxy (where a person you name votes on your behalf) if you prefer.

On The Electoral Commission website, you can download a form for postal voting or a form for proxy voting. Alternatively, you can contact us and we will send a copy to you in the post.

Please return completed forms by email to elections@derby.gov.uk, or by post to:

Electoral Services
Council House
Corporation Street
Derby
DE1 2FS

Polling station voting

The Returning Officer has a duty under law to make reasonable adjustments, and provide the necessary equipment to remove barriers faced by disabled people at the polling station. Some of the ways we do this include:

• we ensure, as far as possible, that polling stations have either level access or a suitable ramp.
• polling stations have adequate lighting and we provide extra lighting where required. Every polling station is supplied with an LED desk lamp that voters may use in the voting booth.
• large print copies of ballot papers are available to help partially-sighted voters identify where their selected candidates appear on the ballot paper.
• tactile voting devices are available to assist Braille users in marking the ballot paper. Staff are trained in the use of these devices.
• we provide magnifiers to help voters read the ballot papers.
• at least one polling booth shelf at a height suitable for wheelchair users.
• the ballot box is always positioned on a chair, rather than a table, which allows for easier access by wheelchair users.
• all polling station staff receive training on assisting voters with different kinds of disabilities.
• we review polling stations regularly, through both formal reviews and by collecting feedback from staff and voters following each election.
• a message is included on poll cards for polling stations that some people may find more difficult to access. Poll cards include information on applying for a postal or proxy vote.
• where a polling station has car parking bays, we ensure that spaces are reserved for disabled voters.
• we provide copies of each ballot paper in Braille format.
• election notices are published as web content where possible, rather than in PDF format to help users of screen-reading software.
• pencil grips are available in polling stations.
• staff wear badges so that they are easy to identify.

Please speak to a member of staff in the polling station if you need assistance, have questions about how to cast your vote, or if you have any suggestions for improving the voting process for disabled people.

Any person aged 18 or over can act as your companion if you require help marking your ballot paper, or the Presiding Officer can assist you.

Registering to vote

Before you can vote in a polling station, by post, or by proxy you need to register to vote. You can do this online on the Government website: Register to vote.

You will need the following information:

• Which part of the UK do you live in, or do you live in another country?
• What is your nationality?
• What is your date of birth?
• What is your full name?
• Have you ever changed your name?
• What is your national insurance number?
• What is your address?
• Do you live at a second address?
• Do you want your name and address to appear publicly on the register? This means that a charity or business can see your information and could use it to contact you or to try and sell you things. You’ll still be able to vote if you say ‘no’ to this.

If you are not able to complete an online registration please contact the Elections team.

Further help and guidance

If you need a version of a document in a more accessible format, please contact us and tell us what format you need.

If you think other equipment or adjustments could help you cast your vote please contact the Elections team using the contact details below.

Easy read guidance

Mencap have produced a series of downloadable easy read guides:

• Deciding the best way to vote
• Registering to vote
• Voting at a polling station
• Voting by post
• Voting by proxy
• Voting during the COVID-19 pandemic
• What is voting?

United Response have published a downloadable easy read guide with a practice ballot paper for local elections. They have also published a series of downloadable easy read booklets about how politics affects your life, and how to get involved.

British Sign Language videos

The Electoral Commission has produced a series of videos on YouTube for BSL users:

• Registering to vote
• How to apply for free voter ID, if you need it
• Which elections require photo ID, and which forms of ID can I use to vote?
• What to expect at the polling station, and other ways to vote

Contact us

Email elections@derby.gov.uk, or telephone 01332 640837.

Deaf users can text message 07774 333 412. If you are a British Sign Language (BSL) user, you can contact us using the online sign language service.

Our postal address is:

Electoral Services
Council House
Corporation Street
Derby
DE1 2FS