Ontarians will head to the polls on Thursday, February 27, for the provincial general election. CNIB wants to make sure electors who are blind, Deafblind, or have low vision are aware of their right to accessible services and tools available at the polls.
There are multiple ways for voters to cast their ballot if they cannot attend a polling place on election day, including advance polling places, mail-in ballot, or home visit. To learn more about the different accessible voting options, visit the Elections Ontario’s website by clicking the following link: Accessibility in provincial elections.
Accessibility Features
The following materials will be available for voters on election day and at advanced polls:
- Magnifying sheets and ballot templates with braille numbering and cut-outs
- Assistance in marking a ballot
- Sign language interpretation (must be requested in advance)
- Deafblind intervenor services (certain regions only and must be requested in advance)
Assistive voting technology will be available at designated advance voting locations or your local election office from February 20 to 26. Voters can also make an appointment to use assistive voting technology on election day by contacting their local election office.
Voters are allowed to use a personal assistive device at the polls to help them cast their ballot, such as a smartphone to read the ballot behind the voting screen. Smartphone devices may be connected to the internet and must be used with headphones to ensure secrecy.
Voting location information will be available after February 14, at which time electors can make sure their assigned polling stations meet their accessibility needs by:
- Checking their voter information card
- Downloading the Elections Ontario app from the App Store or Google Play
- Visiting elections.on.ca and entering their postal code into the Voter Information Service box.
- Calling Election Ontario at 1-888-668-8683 or TTY 1-888-292-2312.
- Emailing Elections Ontario at info@elections.on.ca
Information and Resources
Elections Ontario has made the following digital resources available online to provide information about election accessibility and ways to cast your ballot:
A Guide to Accessible Voting in Provincial Elections
Alternate formats of these resources can be requested by completing an Educational Resource Order Form.