Accessible Voting
Voting at Polling Stations
We will take all reasonable steps to support voters with disabilities to improve the range and quality of support at our polling stations.
Accessible polling stations
All polling venues are assessed for accessibility before polling day.
- Where no permanent ramp is available, we install a temporary ramp to support access for wheelchair users
- Where possible, we use venues with on-site parking facilities so that disabled voters may park close to their polling station
Support within the polling station
Every polling station will have the following equipment and support in place:
- step free access, including permanent or temporary ramps, or disabled access lift
- wide doorways for wheelchair access
- low-level polling booths for wheelchair users
- large print versions of ballot papers
- magnifiers
- pencil grips
- tactile voting devices for voters with sight loss
- support from polling station staff at the voting booth and to mark your ballot paper on your behalf, if needed
- audio versions of ballot papers, when possible
Normally mobile phones are not allowed to be used inside the polling station. But voters with disabilities may use any text-to-speech apps, torch or magnifier on their phone to help them to read their ballot paper.
Casting your Vote
If you haven’t been to a polling station before, or if you would like to refresh yourself on what happens when you vote, you can click the links below to see what it is like to vote in a polling station:
Anonymous Voters
If you are registered to vote anonymously, on polling day you will be asked to show your poll card and your Anonymous Elector’s Document (AED).
Face Coverings
If you wear a face covering for any reason, you will be asked to remove it so polling staff can check your photo ID correctly.
You are entitled to request for your ID to be checked in private – every polling station has a privacy screen. You can also ask for your ID to be check outside, away from other people, if that would make you more comfortable.
Children at the polling station
You can bring your children to the polling station, but children are not allowed to mark your vote on your ballot paper.
Request reasonable adjustments
You have a right to request a reasonable adjustment to vote in elections.
Please email electoral.enquiries@southwark.gov.uk to tell us the details of your request for reasonable adjustments.
Report an accessibility issue
If you find an accessibility issue at a polling station, please report to our elections team.
Please email electoral.enquiries@southwark.gov.uk or phone 020 7525 7373 to speak to a member of the Electoral Services team.