Disabled voters shut out of municipal elections, advocate says

Superior Morning8:04Accessible Voting

People with disabilities can face challenges getting information on candidates and challenges when they head to the polling stations. David Lepofsky is chair of the Accesibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance, and a long-time advocate

A long-time social advocate says more needs to be done to reach out to people with disabilities in municipal elections.

The head of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance, David Lepofsky, said simply finding out information about candidates can prove a challenge.

“Depending if you're blind, or dyslexic or low vision, they may produce their campaign literature, but not in a format you can read,” he said.

“Or, they may create a website and not make sure the website is accessible.”

Lepofsky, who is blind, said his group has been in the forefront of lobbying for telephone and online voting in provincial and municipal elections.

He says this would ensure more people with disabilities could cast their ballot.

The current Thunder Bay city council rejected the idea of voting online.

Lepofsky noted many campaign events are often held in inaccessible locations. In the last provincial election, he said, there were events in buildings that were not accessible.

The same kinds of barriers happen municipally, even though the municipal election act requires events to be wheelchair accessible, he said.