Voters in some parts of England head to the polling stations tomorrow (1 May) to elect councillors and in some cases, mayors. These are the first local elections since the general election last summer.
Although Coventry isn’t part of the process on this occasion (but neighbouring Warwickshire is), our Coventry Youth Activists (CYA) are taking the opportunity to raise awareness of the barriers commonly faced by disabled people when they are trying to vote.
“In the May 2023 local elections in England, approximately 14,000 people were unable to vote due to new voter ID requirements. Disabled and unemployed individuals were among those most likely to be affected.” (Coventry Youth Activists)
CYA want to support other young disabled people to get voter-ready so they can decide who they want to represent their interests.
CYA’s campaigners—young disabled activists fighting for disabled people’s right to a good life and supported by Grapevine—say current voting processes are inaccessible because:
- Many people don’t know what ID they need – the rules are confusing and voter information isn’t always clear or accessible
- Election materials and guidance aren’t always accessible – e.g. lack of easy-read formats, Braille or sign language
- Getting ID isn’t easy – if you don’t have a passport or driving licence, applying for ID can be complicated and stressful
- Support isn’t guaranteed – not all polling station staff know how to assist disabled voters properly and people with learning disabilities may not get the help they need
- Past experiences hold disabled people back – if you’ve felt unheard before, it’s easy to think your vote doesn’t matter. It does!
CYA believe everyone deserves fair and accessible local elections and have set out to make that happen by the next election through awareness raising and sharing essential information targeted at young disabled people, their supporters, teachers and organisations.
You can help ensure disabled people aren’t locked out of democracy because the current voting system isn’t built for everyone by:
- Reading CYA’s article to understand what’s at stake
- Pledging your support to making voting accessible
- Taking CYA’s Voter Readiness Quiz to test your knowledge
- Sharing this post to spread the word and help spark change.
Because when democracy isn’t accessible, it isn’t democracy. Because voting isn’t a privilege, it’s a right.
Find out more about ‘Let’s Get Voting’ on CYA’s website. Here you will find lots of useful information, including a downloadable campaign pack developed by CYA.
Coventry Youth Activists form part of our Shifting Power work across Coventry and Warwickshire.
Strengthening democracy has been and continues to be a key component of our work—learn more about our early campaigns in our 30th anniversary story here.