Polls Apart Cymru is part of Scopes Polls Apart campaign to make Wales’ democracy accessible to disabled voters. At each General Election since 1992 disability campaigners have filled in a short access survey when they vote. Their findings form part of Scope’s Polls Apart evaluation of disabled people’s access to the democratic process.
On Election Day 2005 campaign volunteers from accross the UK surveyed over 2,000 polling stations and found that 68% of polling stations could be inaccessible to a disabled person.
For the first time we have also produced regional Polls Apart in England reports to highlight the regional differences in accessibility and consider access in the context of specific regional circumstances.
You can download both the UK and Welsh reports documents from the Polls Apart website
"Until I filled in the survey I had always assumed the process of voting was easy. You turn up, vote and leave. But I now realise that many disabled people have to overcome a long and needless obstacle course just to get to the ballot box."
Polls Apart volunteer, Wales
If you visited a polling station with poor access write to your MP and local councillors. Let them know that about the problems disabled constituents face in trying to vote. To get accessible democracy on the political agenda we need to get as many politicians to be aware of the problems as possible. When you contact an MP or local councillor ask if they are aware of the Polls Apart campaign and what they are doing to support it.
In the early 1990’s Scope was contacted by a number of disabled people who had had difficulty voting. Their local polling stations were inaccessible and although they had complained to their local council nothing seemed to change.
To counter this, Scope in 1992 launched Polls Apart. The campaign focused on getting as much evidence as possible on the accessibility of polling stations throughout England and Wales. The results were startling. Over 90% of all polling stations were inaccessible in some way.
At every General Election since 1992 we have repeated the survey. We have worked with politicians, electoral administrators and other organisations with an interest in democracy to try to improve access. Changes to legislation have helped, as disabled people are now protected in law from discrimination. Many local authorities have also taken on board the need to run accessible elections.
But it is slow progress. At the 2001 General Election 66% of polling stations in Wales were still inaccessible.
