The local elections are on 2 May. Sandwell Council wants to make the voting process as easy as possible for people who are blind and visually impaired.
They know it’s important to have accessible, audio information on their website. So they asked Sandwell Talking News if some of their volunteers would read and record the lists of candidates standing in each ward. If you are a regular listener to the Sandwell Talking News, you will recognise the voices of volunteers Janet, Linda, Alison and Pam. The recordings will also be available on Sandwell Talking News, and at the polling stations if required.
Follow this link to the list of candidates in each ward and then scroll to open the link to your ward. To hear an audio version of the list of candidates in your ward, scroll to the play button.
Photo ID
Remember that if you are voting at a polling station you need to have photo ID. Acceptable photo ID includes a Passport, a Blue Badge, an Older Person’s Bus Pass or a Disabled Person’s Bus Pass. If you want to vote and you don’t have photo ID, you have until Wednesday 24 April at 5pm to apply. Anyone who does not have photo ID can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate to show at a polling station. Apply now on the council website – www.sandwell.gov.uk/voterID or go into any Sandwell Library or Sandwell Council House in Oldbury if you need help with your application.
Accessibility at Polling Stations
Anyone who has a disability can now take someone with them into the polling station to help them to vote. The person helping you must be aged 18 or over. The following equipment will be at polling stations to make voting easier:
- Ramps for easier access
- Brighter lighting
- Coloured overlays to help people with dyslexia to read the ballot paper
- Pencil grips
- Tactile voting devices for people with a visual impairment
- Large copies of the ballot paper
- Large magnifiers
- Wheelchair access booths
- Audio recordings of the ballot paper
- Chairs for people who cannot stand for long periods
Want to vote but weren’t able to?
If you have any issues at all with the voting process because of your visual impairment or other disability it’s important that this is fed back to Sandwell’s Electoral Services team. Please do let Sandwell Visually Impaired know if you experience problems, so we can pass on your views.
