Current voting system only allows one in 10 blind people to vote independently

The majority of blind and partially sighted people in the UK are not fully able to vote independently and in private, according to figures out from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) today.

With around 350,000 people registered blind or partially sighted in the UK and two million people with sight loss, research by the charity found only one in 10 blind voters and less than half of partially sighted voters could vote independently and privately in the 2019 General Election.

RNIB’s research has also uncovered problems with accessibility of information received before an election. Over half (53 per cent) of blind people and 15 per cent of partially sighted people said that they couldn’t read any of the information the council sent them, including poll cards.

Aston spoke to Eleanor Southwood, chair of the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to discuss the findings in further detail.