Elections BC > Voting > What You Need to Vote > Voting Accessibility

Man in a wheelchair wearing a mask

Voting Accessibility

Elections BC is committed to safe and accessible elections for all voters, and we have services available to help, whether you are voting in person or remotely. Election officials are trained on how to help voters access voting opportunities, and services are available to help voters with disabilities or underlying health conditions to vote.

Assisted telephone voting

Telephone voting is available for a limited set of voters who are unable to vote independently by other means. To vote by assisted telephone voting, your voter registration information must be up-to-date and you must meet one of the following criteria:

  • you have vision loss
  • you have a disability or underlying health condition that prevents you from voting independently
  • you are self-isolating during the last week of the campaign period and are unable to vote by mail

This option may also be made available to some residents of care facilities, patients of acute care hospitals or deployed members of the military.

Only voters who meet one of these criteria are allowed to vote by telephone and voters must confirm that they are eligible. If an ineligible voter attempts to vote by telephone, it could tie up phone lines needed by those who are eligible.

Telephone operators assist voters who vote by phone. Measures have been put in place to ensure the secrecy of the ballot for voters voting by telephone.

If you have questions about your eligibility to vote by assisted telephone voting, contact us at 1-800-661-8683.

Getting help marking your ballot

Voters can get help marking their ballot if they have a disability or difficulty reading or writing. Tell the election official at the voting place if you need help marking your ballot.

Resources for blind or sight-impaired voters

Braille candidate lists, large print ballot posters and plastic ballot templates are available at all voting places to help blind or sight-impaired voters mark their ballot.

Resources for hearing-impaired voters

Elections officials are trained to assist voters with hearing impairment and will have visual aids available at the voting place. Voters may also be accompanied by a sign language interpreter.

Voters can also contact us by phone using voice to text services at 1-888-456-5448.

Voting place accessibility

All advance voting places and most general voting places are wheelchair accessible. Voters who can’t enter a voting place can vote outside the building (at the curb or in the parking lot).

Translators

Voters can bring a translator to help them at the voting place. The translator must make a solemn declaration that they are able to act as a translator and will do so to the best of their abilities.