Press Release

With elections on the horizon, new website aims to make votes count for people with learning disabilities

11th May 2009

With 4th June Local and European Elections just weeks away, the national disability charity, United Response, is today launching an interactive website (www.everyvotecounts.org.uk) to make it easier for people with learning disabilities to use their vote and have their say.

The website, which has been built in consultation with people with learning disabilities, is part of the three year Every Vote Counts! campaign launched by United Response, and funded by the Electoral Commission. It is designed to open up the democratic process to the thousands of people with learning disabilities in England who are currently missing out on the opportunity to vote.

People with learning disabilities have the same right to vote as everyone else. Yet research carried out by United Response reveals that while 80% of people supported by the charity are registered to vote, only 20% took part in their last local elections compared with 38% of the general population.

United Response hopes the Every Vote Counts! website, will make the democratic process more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Using pictures, easy to understand words and audio, the site provides information on how politics works, how it affects peoples lives and how people can get involved and register their opinion.

It also includes a section where users can feedback on their own experiences of using the website, contributing to its ongoing development as well as the option to register to receive updates as new features are added. The site is continuing to be user tested with people with learning disabilities, so it can be as accessible to as many people as possible.

Brian Smithson has helped test the Every Vote Counts! Website. He said:

“I’ve learnt that you can tell your MP if things aren’t right and I would like to look at the voting (section) a bit more. I’ll ask someone to support me. I would also like to show the website to people at the centre I go to.

“It’s very good and very helpful and I liked being able to listen.”

Su Sayer, chief executive of United Response said:

“With elections just weeks away, we hope that the Every Vote Counts! Website will help to demystify the democratic process and make it possible for more people with learning disabilities to exercise their right to vote.

“People with learning disabilities are affected by political decisions as much as anyone – often more so – and deserve to have their voices heard.”

The website builds on the free Every Vote Counts! multimedia resource, which United Response launched last year. Further information about the resource and the Every Vote Counts! campaign can be found at www.everyvotecounts.org.uk