Page 11 - Community Living Issue 31-3

living a life: political participation

The real challenging behaviour – by the Passport to the polls

professionals who think they know best

People with learning disabilities are being helped to exercise
their fundamental right to vote in elections under a scheme
run by care provider Dimensions. Simon Jarrett reports

key element of civic participation which can still cast doubt on the capacity
in a democracy is to be able to of people with learning disabilities to
a express your political preference vote, particularly those with severe
through the ballot box. impairments.
For many years, people were deemed Care provider Dimensions became
legally incapable of voting, based on aware of the problems that can face
Victorian legislation about “lunatics” and learning disabled voters during the
“idiots”; these rules were largely removed general election of 2005, when it received
by the electoral Administration Act 2006. feedback from a number of people on the
Anyone aged over 18, including those difficulties they had experienced in
who have a guardian or welfare attorney, exercising their right to vote.
as well as care home residents, has the One of them, a Dimensions council
right to vote, provided they are able to member who has mild learning disabilities
vote on their own behalf. A guardian or and cerebral palsy, was turned away from
the polling station as he had a family
member helping him to read the
candidates’ names and information in the Barbara Waterman, aged 86, has always been
polling station and the booth. The passionately interested in politics. She voted for
presiding officer said that his family the first time in 2015 using the passport, and has
member was not allowed to come into been voting ever since
the station, let alone the booth, which
caused his anxiety levels to rise to a level It also explains what other people can
where the only option was for him to do, such as explain the ballot options or
leave. As a result, he never got to cast his accompany someone into the polling
vote in the 2005 general election. booth, and what they cannot do, such as
In response to this, Dimensions make a decision for a person or mark the
developed a voting passport to help ballot paper against their wishes.
make polling stations and the voting The passport has been used
process more accessible for people with successfully since 2014. Feedback from
learning disabilities or autism. people using it showed it provided easy
A voting passport is an steps to get through the
easy-to-read A4 sheet of voting process and
information about an reinforced their
individual’s voting needs. It determination to
is designed to be handed to participate in the national
polling staff so they can political conversation.
Vivek Shah used the passport to vote for the first easily understand the To be outside the voting
time at the last London mayoral election: ‘I was reasonable adjustments process is to be seen as
excited to vote. The passport was useful – it needed to make a person someone who has no
reminded me what I needed to do’ feel more comfortable stake on society, and
to vote. therefore lacking the rights
welfare attorney cannot decide who to It includes an “About citizenship confers.
vote for on behalf of the adult, although me” section with the To participate in public
they can help the person to register or person’s name, a list of life is to be a person with
cast a proxy vote. things to help them to rights. That is why
electoral registration officers are vote and space for the person to write participation in the voting process – still
expected to assist people who may have who they would like support from, their alarmingly low in the community of
any difficulties with the registration name and if they are eligible to vote in people with learning disabilities – is an
process because of physical or mental the UK. essential exercise in personal power. n
disabilities. The passport also includes a section on ● To download a free copy of the
A person must choose for themselves legal rights about voting to debunk Dimensions voting passport, and for more
Dimensions who to vote for – no one can decide on common myths about voting rights for information about their Love your Vote
their behalf. This leaves a grey area, often
campaign, go to www.dimensions-uk.org/
people with learning disabilities, which
campaign/love-your-vote/
can be held even by presiding officers.
at the discretion of presiding officers,
www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Community Living Vol 31 No 3 | Spring 2018 11