A new voting aid to help blind and partially sighted voters cast their vote will be available for the first time at the upcoming Scottish Parliament election on 7 May.
The announcement was made at the Cross Party Group for Visual Impairment on 11th March chaired by Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Stuart McMillan. The new card overlays have been specifically designed to fit the ballot papers used in each constituency and regional vote.
Previously, voters could request a plastic template with numbered flaps placed over the ballot paper. However, the template often misaligned and still required a sighted person to read out the list of candidates, meaning many voters were unable to cast their vote independently and in private.
The new overlays feature embossed and braille numbers alongside cut-out boxes that align with the voting boxes on the ballot paper. Voters will also be able to listen to an audio recording of the candidate list as many times as needed, helping them place their mark confidently in the correct box.
The change follows many years of campaigning and collaboration led by national sight loss charity, RNIB Scotland, to improve the voting experience for people with sight loss.
Stuart McMillan MSP, Chair of the Cross-Party Group on Visual Impairment, said:
“This is a really important step forward for accessible democracy in Scotland. Everyone should have the right to cast their vote independently and in secret, and these new ballot overlays supported by audio will make a real difference for many blind and partially sighted voters.
“The Cross-Party Group has worked closely with organisations such as RNIB Scotland and others with lived experience of sight loss to highlight the barriers people face when voting. It is encouraging to see that work leading to real change ahead of the next Scottish Parliament election.”
