Parties 'lose a million votes' by not making elections accessible

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Voters with disabilities and autism say they are treated 'like an afterthought' - as candidates fail to implement 'easy' policies to read"

James Walker says parties leave votes on the table

Parties are “losing a million votes” by not making polls accessible to people with learning disabilities.

Voters with disabilities and autism say they are treated “like an afterthought” – as candidates fail to put in place “easy-to-read” policies.

One young voter even said polling station staff suggested he vote in the disabled toilet because that was the only place he could fill out his ballot in private.

A study for the My Vote My Voice campaign found that the participation of people with learning disabilities was 40% lower than that of the general population.

And up to a third of the population doesn't realize that people with disabilities have the same right to vote as everyone else.

The figures have sparked new fears that new voter ID rules will make matters worse, preventing even more people from using their right to vote.

James Walker, 24, from Hull is classed as having multiple and profound learning disabilities.

He says a polling station suggested he vote in the disabled toilet

He can't speak but uses gaze technology to communicate, and has a support team and relies on his mother to help him vote.

"Since I was 18 my mum told me I should vote and have a say in who runs the country," he told the Sunday Mirror.

"I need easy-to-read manifestos beforehand to know their policies, but some parties don't bother to create them and therefore lose my vote"

He added: "Unfortunately my polling station is a health center where I have no quiet place to voice my choice out loud to my caregivers so they can cast my vote.

"I was once offered the disabled toilet to vote in. I think there should be a separate quiet room for people with learning disabilities so we can have privacy .

"It worries me that people with learning disabilities don't vote because it's too difficult for them without reasonable adjustments."

Shadow Leveling up Minister Alex Norris welcomed the group to Parliament this week to launch their campaign.

"Listening to people with lived experiences, I am shocked and saddened to hear of cases where people with learning disabilities were not able to vote," he said.

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"The point is simple, if we want a democracy to be proud, we need to make sure we listen to the most vulnerable in society."

Speaking at the event, Local Government Minister Lee Rowley said this was a "very important issue".

And he pledged to “continue to work with disability charities and local leaders in the electoral sector to ensure that everyone can exercise their democratic right to vote.”

Mr. Walker sets up a group for people with learning disabilities to meet and...