Information for Carers and People with a Disability
Everyone should be able to have their say on polling day. Having a disability should not be a barrier to voting in the Greater Manchester Combined Authority Mayoral Election.
The Returning Officers across GM are working to ensure that disabled voters have, as far as possible, the same access to the electoral process as anyone else.
Physical or Learning Disability
Help is available at polling stations if you want to vote in person. You may request help from the Presiding Officer. Help might include an explanation of the voting process, marking the ballot paper for you as instructed, or reading out how to vote instructions from the top of the ballot paper. Alternatively a disabled voter may be assisted by a qualified companion.
If you have a physical or learning disability, you might choose to vote by post. Another option is to request a proxy vote – this is when you choose someone you trust to vote on your behalf. The deadline to apply for this is 5pm on Wednesday 24 April.
Read more about the different ways to vote (internal webpage)
Apply for a proxy vote (external webpage)
If you have specific concerns or require further information, please contact your local elections team (internal webpage).
Visual Impairments
A blind or partially sighted elector can vote using the tactile voting device which is provided to all polling stations. Polling station staff can explain how to use it.
There will also be large print and Braille copies of the Mayoral Election ballot paper at every polling station.
Blind or partially sighted voters may request assistance from the Presiding Officer or qualified companions.
If you have specific concerns or require further information, please contact your local elections team (internal webpage).
Frequently asked questions
If you want to in person you should attend the polling station listed on your poll card.
Polling stations will be clearly identified with large signs outside.
The route to the room where you will cast your vote will be marked by signs outside and inside the building.
All polling stations based in permanent buildings can be accessed using wheelchairs.
If your poll card identifies your polling station as a ‘temporary’ or ‘mobile’ polling station, please contact your local electoral services team (internal webpage) to find out more about the specific arrangements in place.
All polling stations contain a polling booth suitable for wheelchair users.
Where space allows, all polling stations will provide at least one seat for people to use if they are there to vote.
Disabled parking will be provided at many polling stations, but only where this is already made available for this building.
Assistance animals are welcome at all polling stations. Polling station staff are aware of this.
There will be polling station staff at each station. They will be wearing signs on their person or on their desk.
Polling station staff can help with questions about valid voter ID and how to cast your vote.
There is also a Presiding Officer in charge of running every polling station.
You can ask the Presiding Officer for assistance, if required. This includes asking the Presiding Officer to mark the ballot papers for you. If this happens, the Presiding Officer will need to complete a form to record they have assisted you to vote.
Lots of kinds of ID are valid for voting. If you don’t have a valid ID you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate. The deadline for this is 5pm on Wednesday 24 April.
Find out more about Voter ID and Voter Authority Certificates (internal webpage)
If you are entitled to a companion to help you cast your vote, the companion must be aged 18 or over, but they do not need to be registered to vote.
Please note that a companion can only assist up to two people to cast their vote at the same election. The Presiding Officer will need to complete a form where a companion assists a disabled voter. The companion must also sign a short statement, to record they have assisted you to vote.
Please contact your local electoral services team (internal webpage), to find out whether the local election ballot papers will also be available in braille.
Yes, you can use assistive technology on your mobile phone or other equipment to help you cast your vote independently.
The following additional equipment to help you vote will be available in all polling stations.
- Large, chunky pencils
- Pens and pencils with grips
- Rulers to help read the ballot paper
- Magnifiers to increase the size of the text on the ballot paper
- A large print copy of the ballot paper
- A Braille copy of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority Mayoral Election Ballot Paper.
- A tactile voting device to assist visually impaired voters
You can also bring your own pen or pencil if you prefer.
In some cases, other assistive equipment may be available at your polling station. Please contact your local electoral services team (internal webpage) to find out more about the equipment available.
If you have specific requirements regarding equipment, please contact your local electoral services team (internal webpage), as early as possible before the election to request what you need. They will consider your request, and let you know if this can be provided.