Accessibility at polling stations

The Equalities Act 2010 and the Elections Act 2022 make sure adjustments and equipment are available in the polling station to assist voters with disabilities to vote independently and in secret.

Accessing the polling station 

All our polling stations are checked in advance to make sure they are as accessible as possible for everyone:

• Where there is no dedicated disabled access to the building, we provide temporary ramps
• Assistance dogs are welcome in all polling stations

We are required to review the location and accessibility of all polling stations every five years by conducting visits and consulting with voters. 

Find out more information about our last review: polling district and polling place review 2023

Support within the polling station 

Our staff are happy to assist you with voting inside the polling station:

• Staff members wear badges to make them easily identifiable
• Seating is available if you have difficulty standing for long periods of time
• All polling booths have a compartment that is wheelchair accessible
• Large print samples of the ballot paper are on display
• You can ask to be accompanied by a person aged 18 or over to help you vote. Your companion will need to complete a form on the day
• You can also ask the Presiding Officer to help you to vote 

Our staff are legally bound by the Requirement for Secrecy, so your vote will remain confidential. 

Equipment available to voters

All polling stations are supplied with equipment to make voting as easy as possible. If you can’t see the following equipment on the check-in desk, you can ask for it:

• An enlarged handheld copy of the ballot paper for you to take into the booth for reference
• A tactile voting device (a reusable guide to help people with a visual impairment to mark their ballot papers independently)
• A card-sized magnifier to increase the size of text
• Pencil grips to make holding your pen or pencil more comfortable

We can also arrange for other equipment to be available in your assigned polling station, if it is reasonable and requested in good time, such as:

• A braille copy of the ballot paper
• Translated voting instructions 

Voters with disabilities are also welcome to use their own accessibility equipment or apps on their phone, such as text to speech or magnifier apps, or the torch.

Other ways to vote 

There are alternative ways you can vote if you don’t want to go to the polling station. Visit how to vote, to explore the other options available.

Whatever support you use at the polling station, remember your vote is yours alone — no one else should influence it.

Further support

If you’d like to make a request for certain equipment or discuss your specific needs in the polling station, please get in touch using the contact details in this page.

Last updated: 18/02/2026 15:08