I am a poll clerk AMA

[TheRozzers]

I was a poll clerk in the general election yesterday. Feel free to ask me any questions, it was a fascinating day!

I got £300, I'm in Northern Ireland though.

What provision, if any, did you have for blind people to be enabled to exercise their democratic right to vote in privacy? I ask because my DD1, who is 16.5, is registered blind. I know that the RNIB has campaigned hard for blind and partially sighted people to be able to vote independently.

@WhompingWillows there is a magnifying glass, which is truly crap and useless. There is also a piece of kit that I’ve forgotten the name of that you overlay on the ballot paper. The presiding Officer can then read the names of the candidates in order, and the voter can then know which spot on the ballot paper to Mark.

The presiding officer can only read out what is on the ballot paper and nothing else. We have to put signs about ensuring that voting is accessible for all which clearly won’t be any use to somebody that can’t see or can’t see well, but we are trained beforehand on what to do to help for various disabilities.

Hopefully when your daughter comes to vote, it will be a positive experience for her.

www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance-returning-officers-assistance-voting-disabled-voters/ensuring-voting-accessible/providing-equipment-polling-station-enables-or-makes-voting-easier-disabled-voters

@WhompingWillows this may be helpful.

We have a 'tactile voting device' and various magnifying glasses, and LED lights.
Voters may also use software on their own phones eg text to speech, or magnifiers.
In addition a disabled voter may be assisted by a companion or by the presiding officer. We are trained to ask the voter how they wish to be helped. A form is then completed to say this is so.