perspectiveVoting with a disability can be a challenge, even in a country like AustraliaBy WA disability affairs reporter Eleanor BeidatschTopic:Elections1h ago1 hours agoFri 2 May 2025 at 2:49amEleanor Beidatsch attends a pre-polling centre in Albany. (ABC News: Rosemary Murphy)abc.net.au/news/federal-election-voting-with-a-disability-challenges/105235532Link copiedShareShare articleWhen I go to vote, my priority is to find a location with wheelchair access.Voting is a democratic right for all Australians, but for some people with disabilities, it can be an uncomfortable and sometimes distressing experience.I have a physical disability called Spinal Muscular Atrophy and I use a power wheelchair to get around.Eleanor says casting a vote with a disability can be an anxiety-inducing experience for some. (ABC News: Rosemary Murphy)Unfortunately, the only early polling location is 50 kilometres away from where I live in regional WA, and it's not listed as wheelchair accessible.Although there were accessible booths inside, the street parking did not have access for wheelchairs to safely cross the road and there weren't ramps.Navigating through the crowd outside is always a challenge but moving through the crowds on the inside is even harder.Eleanor being handed how-to-vote cards while approaching the polling place in Albany. (ABC Great Southern: Rosemary Murphy)My power wheelchair is below people's eye level and pushing through is always stressful.As I can't write for myself, I bring a carer and tell them what to put on the ballot paper for me.Eleanor requires a carer to fill out her ballot paper. (ABC News: Rosemary Murphy)It is always noisy inside and it can be difficult for my carer to hear what I'm saying when I'm asking them to write down my voting preferences, because I have to whisper so other people don't hear my choices.Election essentials:Federal election live updates: Get the latest as the campaign winds upKey election promises from Labor and the CoalitionFind out where your nearest voting centre is and how to fill out the ballot paperFor me, it's obvious I need that extra help. In some ways, it can be easier to have a disability as visible as mine when it comes to voting because there are no questions about the accommodations I need.That process isn't so easy for voters with invisible disabilities, and it's made even more difficult if they are not confident to advocate for themselves.Eleanor Beidatsch detailed her experience voting in Albany this week. (ABC News: Rosemary Murphy)For 20-year-old Gabe, who has anxiety and situational mutism, voting for the first time was an overwhelming experience."Being there was anxiety-inducing for me, I hyper-focused on getting it over with so I could leave," he said."The most difficult aspect of voting was the social interaction and navigation."Having severe anxiety to a point I can't talk meant even basic interactions, like telling my name, was difficult and I needed to have someone with me to speak for me."Then having no direct path of where to go once you've finished at the booth made it a little confusing."Many people affectedMore than 21 per cent of Australians have some type of disability, or around 5.5 million people, according to the 2022 ABS survey.Read more about the federal election:Where the election will be won or lost for Labor or the CoalitionAdd up voters, candidates and pencils in the 2025 federal election numbers quizSee how your views align with the major parties with Vote CompassWant even more? Here's where you can find all our 2025 federal election coverageCatch the latest interviews and in-depth coverage on ABC iview and ABC ListenNot every eligible voter with a disability needs assistance to cast their ballot, but there are still plenty of people who can benefit from accessible polling places. Accessible polling places can make voting easier for those with a disability. (ABC News: Rosemary Murphy)A spokesperson from the AEC said it had increased the number of accessible polling places for the 2025 federal election by 20 per cent."We're constantly listening to feedback from voters and working to improve our offering at subsequent elections," they said."For 2025, the increase of 20 per cent for fully accessible polling places is something we're very proud to be able to offer."But we know that every voter is unique, and the widespread nature of Australian federal elections unfortunately means that our most convenient offering suit the requirements of [only] some voters."'Archaic' laws need to changeMeanwhile, 75 organisations and disability advocates have signed an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, calling for changes to laws they say disproportionately prevent people with disability from voting.A cross section of the organisations that signed the open letter. (ABC News: Gian De Poloni)Two sections of the Commonwealth Electoral Act say anyone "by reason of cognitive impairment, is incapable of understanding the nature and significance of enrolment and voting" should be stripped from the electoral roll.Those removed need to provide medical evidence they are "capable of understanding" to be reinstated.The groups say these provisions are "archaic and offensive" and inconsistent with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.This polling place in Albany has seen a steady stream of early voters. (ABC News: Rosemary Murphy)More than 28,000 people were removed from the roll between 2008 and 2012 due to these provisions, according to a Australian Law Reform Commission report, which also recommended they be repealed."It is extremely disappointing that despite significant advocacy … discriminatory laws are still in place," Down Syndrome Australia CEO Darryl Steff said.The postal vote optionPostal voting has always been an option for anyone who can’t vote in person or doesn't want to.I don’t usually bother with postal voting because I believe that people with disabilities should be seen in public.I live in a regional area, and I can’t go to the post office on my own to post my vote.Postal voting is also difficult for Eleanor because she can't write on paper herself. (Supplied: Australian Electoral Commission via Twitter)I also can’t write on paper for myself anyway, so it makes no difference if I am in a polling booth telling my carer what to write or doing it at home.Whether you choose to vote in person or by post, voting is a human right and people with disabilities should have the same opportunity to choose our preferences based on what we want, not what is more convenient.Additional reporting by National Digital and Disability Affairs Producer Evan Young.LoadingPosted 1h ago1 hours agoFri 2 May 2025 at 2:49amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top StoriesLittle-known entity comparing Dutton to Trump spends more than $400,000 on political Meta adsTopic:Australian Federal ElectionsPhoto shows A man in front of a billboard which says "the parties are the problem"Home owners far outnumber first-time buyers, so pollies ‘do the math’Topic:Property PricesPhoto shows A man outside his Qld home standing next to the fence at the front of the house'Stranded': Motorists describe chaos caused by scrap metal truck debrisTopic:Road Accidents and IncidentsPhoto shows A metal shard embedded in a tyreWhere the election will be won and lost — or left hangingTopic:Australian Federal ElectionsPhoto shows A stylised map shows Australia's 150 federal electorates as clusters of hexagons.Why Melbourne’s inner north has Labor worriedTopic:Federal GovernmentRelated storiesDespite disability forcing his retirement as a teacher, Mike is finding ways to continue giving backTopic:VolunteersPhoto shows a man holding some food cans3.7 million households experienced food insecurity in the past year. Charities say demand for food is increasingTopic:CharitiesPhoto shows Kate has red hair tied up and she's wearing a fluro yellow vest and is leaning on boxes on food. She is smiling.Ade hit rock bottom when he had a stroke, but now he helps others thrive in Australia's screen industryTopic:DisabilitiesPhoto shows Ade wears a blue suit while sitting in a wheelchairIt was harder for Greg's parents to accept his sexuality than his disability, but attitudes are changingTopic:DisabilitiesPhoto shows Greg Axtens in his wheelchair.Related topicsAlbanyAustralian Federal ElectionsDisabilitiesElectionsPerthTop StoriesLittle-known entity comparing Dutton to Trump spends more than $400,000 on political Meta adsTopic:Australian Federal ElectionsPhoto shows A man in front of a billboard which says "the parties are the problem"Home owners far outnumber first-time buyers, so pollies ‘do the math’Topic:Property Prices'Stranded': Motorists describe chaos caused by scrap metal truck debrisTopic:Road Accidents and IncidentsWhere the election will be won and lost — or left hangingTopic:Australian Federal ElectionsWhy Melbourne’s inner north has Labor worriedTopic:Federal GovernmentJust InCandidate labels voters in his electorate 'dumbest on this planet' Topic:Australian Federal Elections3m ago3 minutes agoFri 2 May 2025 at 4:22amComedian Alan Davies says he never remembers the facts from QITopic:Stand-Up Comedy11m ago11 minutes agoFri 2 May 2025 at 4:14amDoes more gas supply mean cheaper power bills for Australians? Here's what we knowTopic:Explainer25m ago25 minutes agoFri 2 May 2025 at 4:00amGlobal May Day protests held against Trump tariffs, administrationTopic:World Politics40m ago40 minutes agoFri 2 May 2025 at 3:45amMore Just InBack to top