People with sight loss denied right to vote independently, says RNIB

New research from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) showed the voting system still prevented people with sight loss from voting independently and in secret. 

Only a quarter of blind and partially sighted people felt the current electoral system allowed them to vote in this way, the research showed. 

For future General Elections and local elections, RNIB has urged the UK government, local authorities and the Electoral Commission to address the accessibility issues and barriers that blind are partially sighted people faced.   

RNIB’s CEO Matt Stringer 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.