Site MenuReport of the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada – Following the Pilot Project on the Use of an Assistive Voting Device in the November 29, 2010, By-election Held in Winnipeg North
6. Next Steps
While the optimal solution has not yet been identified, Elections Canada is committed to making it easier for persons with disabilities to vote independently and in secrecy. The agency will continue to seek additional methods that facilitate voting for these electors. The search will involve pursuing the dialogue that has already been initiated with organizations representing persons with disabilities. It will also involve further research on technological methods that may better meet the particular needs of these electors, such as registration and voting over the Internet.
In the meantime, Elections Canada will continue to offer electors with disabilities a wide range of services. They include:
- level access or, if it is not available, the use of a transfer certificate enabling an elector to vote at a nearby polling station with level access
- sign-language interpretation at polls, if requested
- a large-print list of candidates
- a template embossed with Braille and Arabic numerals that fits on top of the ballot
- assistance from an election officer, a friend or a relative
- assistance for electors confined to bed in a seniors' residence or a chronic care facility
- the possibility to vote from home or by mail
A full list of these services appears on the Elections Canada Web site at www.elections.ca under Voters > Backgrounders on the Electoral Process > Accessibility of the Electoral System.
The comments and recommendations of parliamentary committees regarding this pilot project will be of assistance for the development of future pilot projects as Elections Canada seeks to determine which alternative voting methods can best assist electors with disabilities to vote independently and in secrecy.