Democratic elections are meant to be inclusive in nature. This is why, from Bolivia to Australia, and Kenya to the United States, Election Management Bodies (EMBs) are legally mandated to guarantee that all voters, regardless of their abilities, can partake in elections. Despite these mandates, however, the actual experience of voters with disabilities often falls short of these ideals. There is a critical need to address the gap between policy and practice.
According to the World Health Organization, over 1.6 billion people, or about 16% of the global population, live with a disability. This makes the community of people with disabilities the world’s largest minority. The sheer size of this population underscores the challenge facing election commissions in ensuring accessible and inclusive elections for all.
Having collaborated with election management bodies across five continents to improve election integrity, we have witnessed first-hand the enormity of this challenge. However, we have also seen how small contributions can make a significant difference. This insight led us to create a handbook containing practical guidelines for training poll workers. By adhering to these guidelines, poll workers can learn to better assist voters with various types of disabilities, thereby enhancing their voting experience.
This handbook does not pretend do be a quick fix to the challenge of inclusiveness. It will not instantly transform elections into the fully inclusive processes they ought to be. Nevertheless, it is a meaningful step in the right direction. As Mark Twain beautifully put it, “Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” Properly preparing poll workers is not only an operational necessity; it is an act of kindness that can fortify the very foundations of our democracy.
Well-prepared poll workers can significantly improve the voting experience for people with disabilities, making them feel more welcomed and valued. This preparation, while simple, demonstrates respect for every individual’s right to participate in the electoral process.
The handbook is available at no cost and can be downloaded by clicking here, on the image below, or by visiting Smartmatic’s website.
