Name of Constituency:

Polling Booth address:

Name of Officer In Charge:

Access Audit done by:

Date:

Facility

Yes/No

Comment

Before Voting

Was training provided to polling staff, election authorities on access issues of persons with disabilities?

Was adequate awareness created regarding the electoral rights of persons with disabilities, about the manner in which these citizens can exercise their right to vote and access justice and redress in case of violation of rights, through mass media campaigns?

Were websites of political parties and election authorities providing information on elections in accessible formats?

Were efforts made to ensure that electoral speeches and debates of candidates are accessible for disabled citizens through sign language interpreters and subtitling?

Were citizens with disabilities offered equal opportunity for candidature tickets by political parties?

Did political parties and their candidates take up issues of citizens with disabilities during their campaign and in their manifestos?

Getting There

Is there designated or reserved parking for disabled and older people close to the polling station? (If there is no parking can you provide temporary parking just for polling day e.g. open up a school playground or suspend the usual parking restrictions for disabled people?)

Is the polling station and parking for disabled people clearly sign-posted from the road? If there is more than one entrance is it sign-posted from all the possible approaches? (Black, lower case lettering in font such as Arial or Helvetica on a white background is easiest to read.)

Is the approach to the polling station unobstructed and in good condition? (Broken paving slabs, gravel, potholes, parked cars and other obstructions make access considerably more difficult.)

Getting in

Have the personnel at the polling station been instructed to ensure that physically challenged electors are given priority for entering the polling station, without having to wait in the

queue for other electors and all necessary assistance as may be required is provided to them at the polling station?

If your polling station has steps up to the entrance, is there a ramp in place so people with mobility difficulties can get in? In the polling stations where permanent ramps have not been provided, have temporary ramps been provided?

(Even a small single step, can make a polling station inaccessible to many disabled or older people.)

Is the ramp appropriately designed for the job? (A badly designed ramp can be dangerous and does not improve access. A good ramp should have a low gradient (about 1:20), be strong and level, with raised sides or railings either side. If the ramp is not permanent it should be securely attached to the steps so it cannot slip or wobble.)

If the main entrance to your polling station is inaccessible is there an alternative accessible entrance? Could this entrance be used as the main entrance instead? Is any alternative entrance for disabled people clearly sign-posted? (You don’t need to use ‘disabled access’ signs if there is one entrance for everyone.)

Is the door into the polling station wide enough for a wheelchair user to pass through easily? If the doors are heavy, awkward to open or have handles that may be out of reach have you propped them open? (If you do prop them open make sure you don’t obstruct the entrance.)

Inside the polling station

Is there level access from the entrance of the polling station to the voting area? (Internal steps are just as much of a problem as external ones and will need ramps to make them accessible.)

Are doormats level with the floor? If not, can you remove them?

Is the flooring non-slip, even and level? (Highly polished surfaces can be slippery while thick carpeting and loose rugs or mats can cause people to trip or get stuck.)

Is the polling station well lit? (Even on a sunny day some visually impaired people may need the lights switched on to vote independently.)

Are there seats available for people to rest if they need to?

Are any corridors inside the polling station spacious enough for a wheelchair user to pass through comfortably? (Obstructions such as stacked furniture or piles of boxes can cause difficulties for visually impaired people as well as people with mobility difficulties.)

Is there enough space inside the polling station for a wheelchair user to move about easily?

Voting

Is there a polling booth that is low and wide enough so a wheelchair user can vote unaided and in secret?

Is there a low-level ballot box that a wheelchair user can reach unaided? (Putting the ballot box on a chair achieves this.)

Are there Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with Braille to enable visually impaired voters?

Is there a large print notice of the ballot paper? Have you displayed it close to the polling booth and where it is easily visible for someone who needs to use it? (It needs to be low down on the wall and not obscured by other notices or signs. Putting it in the polling booths is one good option.)

Is there provisioin for voters to ask for a dummy ballot sheet in Braille from the Presiding Officer of the booth? Does the Braille paper contain serial number, candidate's name and the party's name? Is he/she able to note the desired candidate's serial number and push the correct button on the EVM?

Is a companion permitted to accompany a disabled elector to assist him/her to cast the vote, in case they need?

Training and Sensitising

Have personnel been sensitized about the special needs of disabled people, for courteous behavior towards them and for providing necessary support to them at the polling station?

Have personnel been sensitized to care and communication with electors having speech and hearing impairment as in the case of other disabled persons?

General access issues

Some disabled people may need assistance but ask before you assume someone wants help.

Temporary structures as polling booths are usually inaccessible so try to avoid their use unless they have been redesigned to take access needs into consideration.

If you are unsure about any issue to do with access, your local disability group will probably be more than happy to advise you about how to ensure your polling station is accessible to disabled voters.

Many disabled people expect to encounter problems when going to vote. If you have thought about all the issues above, make sure you let people know. Put access details on posters, the polling card and make sure someone in the Electoral Services Department knows about the issues and can advise people.

Observations:

Suggestions:

Signature:

Organisation (if any):

Checklist adapted from checklist prepared by ICHR