Barriers at Surrey polling place expose accessibility issues for voters with disabilities
Posted October 26, 2019 6:18 pm.
Last Updated October 26, 2019 6:27 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
SURREY (NEWS 1130) — Despite two trips to the polls and assurances of accessibility, a woman with disabilities in Surrey was unable to cast a ballot in Monday’s election.
Elections Canada has accessibility standards and accommodations for people with disabilities are available, but the experiences of people trying to vote can vastly vary depending on polling place.
Carrie Bercic’s mother lives in the Surrey-Newton riding. Her first attempt to vote was at Newton Elementary School was on the last day of advance polls.
“She basically encountered obstacle after obstacle,” Bercic says. “As soon as she got to the door an Elections Canada person was there who said ‘it’s a very long walk to the voting area.'”
After a walk through “three long hallways,” Bercic’s mother encountered a lengthy line.
Walking and standing in line for long periods of time are challenging for Bercic’s mother who has a heart condition, severe arthritis and limited mobility
Ultimately, Bercic’s mother gave up.
“My mom was, at this point, unable to continue even standing there. She really wasn’t given any support as to what was going to happen, or how she was going to be assisted in and out of the chair or anything at all. So then she just–by herself–walked back all the way to her car and decided to vote on [election] day.”
Bercic has volunteered and worked at polling places in other elections, so she knows about some of the accommodations that can be made available to people with disabilities.
Before election day, she arranged for curb-side voting for her mother.
“Elections Canada officials bring sort of a mini polling station up to the vehicle so that Canadian voters who are unable to get in and out of the cars easily have the opportunity to vote,” Bercic explains.
On Oct. 21, when her mother arrived at the prearranged time and place, she was told curb-side voting was not an option.
“The person just said our supervisor’s here and we can’t do curbside voting. I’m not entirely sure what that meant, and it was never explained to my mum.”
After another long walk, facing the prospect of standing in another lineup, Bercic’s mother left.
“Unable to stand she had to leave. She didn’t have an opportunity to vote.”
Experiences vastly vary between polling places
Bercic says her mother-in-law had the opposite experience while voting in North Vancouver. She was greeted at the door and ushered to the front of the line and was able to vote without standing or waiting for a long period of time.
“Many people have contacted me saying that they hear all across Canada that there are accessibility issues very often in voting places. I find it very, very worrisome. I think it really speaks to the overall lack of accessibility in our public spaces,” she says.
Bercic thinks improving staff training for staff might lead to more consistency when it comes to accessibility. She is following up with Elections Canada because she wants them to commit to making changes so voters like her mother aren’t discouraged .
“How many people are out there sitting at home right now, who had that experience, perhaps in the last election, who didn’t even bother to try this election because they know that there’s not a possibility for them to vote? How many people are staying home because of that?
NEWS 1130 has reached out to Elections Canada for comment.
The agency does outline accessibility standards and requirements on its website.
Polling places must meet 15 out of 37 accessibility-related criteria. For example, the polling place must be on the ground floor and the doors and hallways must be wide enough to be easily navigated with a wheelchair or mobility scooter.
Elections Canada also lists a number of accommodations that they make available, including braille ballots and sign language interpretation.
