The Electoral Participation of Electors with Disabilities: Canadian Practices in a Comparative Context

1. The Electoral Participation of Electors with Disabilities:Canadian Practices in a Comparative Context Presentation to Elections Canada March 30, 2012 By Michael J. Prince

2. Purpose and Outline Purpose: • To report on recent research for EC meant to deepen understanding of the electoral participation of persons with disabilities Outline: • Conceptual framework • Barriers faced by electors with disabilities • International best practices • Canadian electoral practices • Recommendations • Discussion

3. Conceptual Framework Environment of public policy, disability activism, and other institutions • UN Conventions, human rights codes and disability discrimination laws • Litigation and court or tribunal decisions • Political party candidate, platforms and campaign practices • Public transportation services • Disability advocacy and service provider organizations Electoral framework and practices • Electoral systems • Election legislation • Registration processes • Voting technologies and methods • Voting polls and facilities • Election materials • Election officials and workers Electors with disabilities • Type and severity of disability • Age and other demographic characteristics • Living arrangements • Immediate milieu of family, friends, neighbours, caregivers • Personal supports and services

4. Barriers faced by electors with disabilities

5. International best practices

6. Canadian Electoral practices

7. Recommendations • Review all electoral policies, procedures and administrative practices in terms of the principles, articles and obligations in the UN Convention on the Rights for Persons with Disabilities. • Introduce a suite of training modules that reflect the responsibilities of the array of election officers: returning officers and deputy returning officers, registration officers, poll supervisors and poll clerks, special ballot coordinator (hospitals), training officers, and information officers. • Obtain responsibility under the Canada Elections Act to undertake reports on the level of accessibility of polling stations, the type of accessibility equipment used, the type of alternative technologies deployed, and the availability of reports in accessible format. • Review and revise, where needed, website practices to ensure the highest level of accessibility to all citizens, whatever their impairments. • Consult with major political parties at the national level on how to ensure, through information guides and other policy tools, accessible candidate meetings.

8. Recommendations • Review the assistive voting tools offered in provincial jurisdictions; tools that include audio headphones, tactile buttons, and large keyboards marked with Braille, paddles and sip and puff devices. • Further test e-voting in a federal by-election to determine the accessibility and feasibility of such methods for all electors, with a special view as to how it may address barriers that disabled elector’s experience. • Strengthen relationships with national organizations representing persons with disabilities through a disability advisory committee to Elections Canada. • Better inform administrators and staff of health care and residential facilities of their role in supporting the rights of electors with disabilities in their care. Also, these initiatives should be directed at family members and significant others in the lives of residents in nursing homes and similar care facilities. • Conduct voter education and information programs for youth with disabilities among other possible groups of electors with disabilities.

9. Thank you • Comments • Questions Michael J. Prince Lansdowne Professor of Social Policy Faculty of Human and Social Development University of Victoria mprince@uvic.ca