Press

Press release no. 22/24 of 13. Mai 2024

2024 European election: accessible voting

WIESBADEN – In the 2024 European election, eligible voters who are blind or partially sighted will be able to cast their votes on their own using ballot paper templates (tactile voting devices), and without the assistance of a trusted person. The Federal Returning Officer reports that such devices, along with the accompanying information CD, are provided free of charge by the Land associations of the German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted (DBSV). Support for accessible voting is also provided for people with reduced mobility or other impairments.

Information for voters who are blind or partially sighted

Those wishing to vote with the help of a tactile voting device do not have to be members of an association for the blind. They may request such a device from the DBSV Land associations (see list at the end of this press release). The relevant documents are sent to members of the DBSV Land associations automatically.

Important note: As the ballot paper size may differ between Länder, and as the parties standing for election have Land lists in addition to their federal list, the tactile voting device and the related information have to be requested from the DBSV Land association that is responsible for the municipality concerned.

Nationwide pilot project: provision of accessible information on ballot paper content also online and via telephone service

For the 2024 European election, the German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted is launching a nationwide pilot project to provide information on the content of the ballot papers in an accessible format online for the very first time (wahl.phonepublisher.com). In addition, users can access this information via a new freephone number (+49 800 00 09 67 10) which has been set up for this purpose.

Both services have already been used successfully in elections in Nordrhein-Westfalen.

Polling station accessibility

Polling station accessibility is particularly important for voters with limited mobility. Each voter’s notification for the 2024 European election states whether the polling station is accessible or not and where information can be obtained on accessible polling stations and aids. If the polling station indicated on the voter's notification is not accessible, voters may apply for a polling card to be issued so that they can vote in another, accessible, polling station of the rural or urban district in which the polling card has been issued. Naturally, it is always possible to vote by post.

Assistance when voting

People who are not able to read, have inadequate reading skills or, due to a physical impairment, are not able to mark the ballot paper, fold it or put it into the ballot box on their own, may be assisted by another person at the polling station or in postal voting. They are free to choose who they want to assist them. For instance, members of the electoral board may help them cast their vote. The assistant may enter the polling booth together with the voter if necessary. However, the assistant must only fulfil the wishes of the voter and must not disclose any such information.

The following DBSV Land associations will provide blind and partially sighted voters with free tactile voting devices:

Baden-Württemberg

  • Badischer Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverein V.m.K. in Mannheim
    Tel: +49 621 40 20 31
  • Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverband Württemberg e. V. in Stuttgart
    Tel: +49 711 21 06 00
  • Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverein Südbaden e. V. in Freiburg (Breisgau)
    Tel: +49 761 3 61 22

Bayern

  • Bayerischer Blinden- und Sehbehindertenbund e. V. in München
    Tel: +49 89 55 98 80

Berlin

  • Allgemeiner Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverein Berlin gegr. 1874 e. V.
    Tel: +49 30 89 58 80

Brandenburg

  • Blinden- und Sehbehinderten-Verband Brandenburg e. V. in Cottbus
    Tel: +49 355 2 25 49

Bremen

  • Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverein Bremen e. V.
    Tel: +49 421 24 40 16 10

Hamburg

  • Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverein Hamburg e. V.
    Tel: +49 40 2 09 40 40

Hessen

  • Blinden- und Sehbehindertenbund in Hessen e. V. in Frankfurt am Main
    Tel: +49 69 1 50 59 66

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

  • Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverein Mecklenburg-Vorpommern e. V. in Rostock
    Tel: +49 381 77 89 80

Niedersachsen

  • Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverband Niedersachsen e. V. in Hannover
    Tel: +49 511 5 10 40

Nordrhein-Westfalen

  • Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverband Nordrhein e. V. in Meerbusch
    Tel: +49 2159 9 65 50
  • Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverein Westfalen e. V. in Dortmund
    Tel: +49 231 5 57 59 00

Rheinland-Pfalz

  • Landesblinden- und Sehbehindertenverband Rheinland-Pfalz e. V. in Weißenturm
    Tel: +49 2637 9 44 13 75

Saarland

  • Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverein für das Saarland e. V. in Saarbrücken
    Tel: +49 681 81 81 81

Sachsen

  • Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverband Sachsen e. V. in Dresden
    Tel: +49 351 8 09 06 11

Sachsen-Anhalt

  • Blinden- und Sehbehinderten-Verband Sachsen-Anhalt e. V. in Magdeburg
    Tel: +49 391 2 89 62 39

Schleswig-Holstein

  • Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverein Schleswig-Holstein e. V. in Lübeck
    Tel: +49 451 4 08 50 80

Thüringen

  • Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverband Thüringen e. V. in Weimar
    Tel: +49 3643 74 29 07

 

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