CDA seeks ECJ support to prevent disenfranchisement of disabled voters

The Combined Disabilities Association (CDA) has written to the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) seeking its support to address several issues to ensure persons with disabilities are not disenfranchised on election day. 

The majority of Jamaicans will go to the polls this Thursday, September 3, but members of the security forces and election workers will vote tomorrow.

The letter from the CDA outlines problems persons with disabilities have constantly faced when voting during past elections. 

Chief among its requests of the ECJ to address the problems is the issuing of an advisory encouraging disabled persons, who are not able to mark the ballot on their own, to identify early, someone who can accompany them to the polling station to assist them, as the person providing support can only provide support to one disabled individual. The CDA says this has affected mainly people who are visually impaired. 

"In the past, a number of persons, especially those who are blind, have been disenfranchised, because of [their] and [their] assistant's lack of awareness to this rule. This advisory will also assist the elderly and those with upper limb mobility challenges," the letter signed by executive director, Gloria Goffe read. 

The CDA also wants included in the advisory, a message to persons, whose disabilities are not readily identifiable, to take along their disability identification card.  

Another of the CDA's concerns, is the confidentiality of and transparency of the vote of disabled persons who are not able to access polling stations situated above ground level. The association says it has received reports of discomfort with the voting procedure from disabled persons who have had to use the process. 

"This involves the polling officer/poll clerk taking the ballot downstairs to the voter who is unable to access the stairs. He/she marks and folds the ballot and presents it to the presiding officer, who returns upstairs and deposits same in the ballot box. Without questioning ones integrity, the reality is the voter has no idea what transpires with his/her vote on the journey back to the ballot box," the executive director outlined in the letter to the ECJ. 

The CDA is proposing that voters who need the support, to be allowed to have someone accompany the presiding officer or poll clerk to observe the depositing of the ballot in the ballot box. 

It says it will be making other recommendations to the ECJ and Electoral Office of Jamaica, over which the ECJ presides, after the general elections, so that provisions can be made for the local government elections. 

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