Registering and voting

We want everyone to be able to vote without barriers. You should be able to cast your vote independently and in secret. If you have a disability, we provide support at polling stations to make voting easier. You can bring someone with you, get help from staff, and use equipment designed to support your needs. Polling stations are checked in advance, and we make reasonable adjustments wherever possible.

Help with voting

You can take someone aged 18 or over into the polling station to help you vote. This can be a friend, family member or carer. You can also ask the Presiding Officer (the person in charge of the polling station) for help. They are legally required to keep your vote secret.

Our staff are always available if you need help or are unsure what to do.

Getting into the polling station

We check all polling stations before an election to make sure they are accessible. This includes:

• assessing access to and around the building
• providing temporary ramps where needed
• choosing venues with parking when possible, so you can park nearby

If you have specific access needs, contact us in advance and we will do our best to help.

Information to help you vote

Clear guidance is available at every polling station to help you understand the voting process:

• instructions are displayed outside and inside the polling station
• each polling booth has guidance on how to complete your ballot paper
• large print sample ballot papers are available to view before you vote
• enlarged hand-held ballot papers are available to take into the booth

These options are useful if you need more time to read the ballot paper or have a visual impairment.

Equipment and support available

Polling stations provide equipment and support to help you vote comfortably and independently. This includes:

• seating if you cannot stand for long
• magnifiers to help you read text
• pencil grips to make writing easier
• a tactile voting device to help visually impaired voters mark their vote
• wheelchair-accessible booths with lower surfaces
• staff wearing badges so you can easily identify who can help
• additional staff where needed

You can also use your own mobile phone to help you read your ballot paper. For example, you can use a torch, magnifier or text-to-speech app.

As shown in this film, for some elections you use a cross (X) and others use numbers.

Audio support for some elections

For some elections, audio ballot papers are available. These have been developed with sight loss charities and allow you to hear candidate names and their position on the ballot paper.

To access an audio ballot paper, call 0303 123 1019.

Support for non-English speakers

Ballot papers are only printed in English. However, we provide:

• guidance notes in other languages at polling stations
• translated information about registering and postal voting

Contact us

If you need a reasonable adjustment, want to share feedback, or have ideas to improve access, please get in touch:

Email: elections@southlanarkshire.gov.uk

We are here to help you vote with confidence.

Contact the Electoral Commission to order registration and postal voting leaflets available in a number of different languages.