Bill introduced in Parliament to tackle barriers faced by voters with sight loss
Julie Minns MP stood in the House of Commons delivering a speech presenting the Elections (Accessibility for Blind Voters) Bill. | Credit: parliamentlive.tv
On Wednesday 22 January, Julie Minns MP (Labour, Carlisle), championed the rights of blind and partially sighted voters through a Ten-Minute Rule Bill, in collaboration with RNIB.
The Elections (Accessibility for Blind Voters) Bill garnered cross-party support and highlighted the challenges facing voters with sight loss as well as the simple solutions needed to make voting more accessible.
Presenting the Bill in the House of Commons, Minns said: “This Bill seeks to ensure that all voters with sight loss are consistently able to access information about the election and candidates independently, and that when voting they can, without assistance, review the candidates on the ballot paper, reliably find and mark their chosen candidate, and be in sole control of the secrecy of their vote.
“This is not out of reach: the technology exists and the solutions are low-cost and effective.”
Why this Bill matters
Although it’s been over 150 years since the Ballot Act 1872, which guaranteed the right to vote in secret, research by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) found that many blind and partially sighted people continue to be denied this fundamental right.
Based on their experiences of voting at the 2024 UK General Election, RNIB’s Turned Out Report 2024 revealed only a quarter (26 per cent) of blind people felt the current system allowed them to vote independently and in secret.
‘Significant changes’ required
Anna Tylor, Chair of Trustees at RNIB, said:
“RNIB has campaigned on this issue for many years; the UK Government has a responsibility to ensure voters have alternative ways to participate when the current system is inaccessible to them. It’s evident from our research that blind and partially sighted people’s voting experience won’t improve without significant changes to the system.
“Policy makers and electoral officials must improve voting accessibility, and we’ll be pressing the UK Government to address the injustice through future legislation on voting. We’ll also continue to empower blind and partially sighted people and communities by providing useful information and resources so they know they can demand better voting accessibility.”
Next steps
RNIB will continue to work closely with Julie Minns MP ahead of the Bill’s Second Reading, currently scheduled for the end of March.
Elsewhere in Parliament, RNIB has submitted extensive written evidence to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee as part of a review of the 2024 general election.
We will also be meeting with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Electoral Commission, and the Association of Electoral Administrators to push for the implementation of the Turned Out Report’s recommendations, and to inform future practice, guidance, and legislation.
