Voting if you have a disability

We offer a range of support to disabled voters, including those with a learning disability.

All polling stations have polling booths that are adapted for wheelchair users. We have large print versions of ballot papers available, along with aids to enable visually impaired voters to mark their ballot papers without help.

Voting at elections should be accessible to everyone, whether you choose to vote at a polling station or in another way.

If you need support to mark your ballot paper, you can take a friend, relative or carer to the polling station to help you. Alternatively, the Presiding Officer at the polling station can help you fill in your ballot paper.

The Electoral Commission have created a short YouTube: Electoral Commission UK - BSL: What will happen at the polling station (opens new window) video about what will happen when you vote at the polling station and alternative ways to vote.

Vote by post

If you do not want to go to the polling station to vote, you can apply to vote by post via GOV.UK: apply to vote by post (opens new window).

Before starting your application online you will need:

your national insurance number
a photo of your wet ink (not digital) signature

Voting by post means that we will send your ballot papers out to your home or an away address if you will not be home at the time of an election or referendum. This is also known as absent voting.

Ballot papers are usually posted out around 2-3 weeks before any election. You can check your poll card for information relating to a particular election.

Deadlines apply during an election. Keep an eye on our CMS: upcoming elections (opens new window) page to see if you are affected.

Long term proxy vote

A proxy vote is where you ask someone to cast your vote at the polling station on your behalf. If you do not want to go to the polling station or vote by post, you can visit the Electoral Commission website, to see if you qualify for a long term proxy (opens new window). To apply you will need to fill in a form, which you can return using one of the methods at the bottom of the page, in the 'Contact details' section.

Electoral commission - apply to vote by proxy (opens new window)