Please see the message below from Scope. Apologies to those who live outside the areas referred to.
Gary Birkenhead
__________________________________
Scope has been asked by the Electoral Commission, who advise the Government on running elections, to do an evaluation of the electronic voting and postal ballot pilot voting schemes taking place at the May 2002 local elections. The aim of the evaluation is to find out how accessible they are to disabled people. Voting pilots have been introduced by the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions to see whether they increase turn-out at local elections, as well as whether they make voting more convenient. We believe that all forms of voting should be accessible to all voters and that no disabled person should be disadvantaged by any voting system.
The postal and e-voting schemes are taking place in the following local authority areas. Where known, we have stated the postcode areas the wards cover.
Postal voting
Crawley (4 wards)
South gate
Ifield
Bewbush
Broadfield
Chorley - All wards
Gateshead - All wards
London Borough of Greenwich (2 wards)
Eltham West (SE3, SE9)
Woolwich Common (SE18)
London Borough of Hackney - All wards
London Borough of Havering - All wards
Middlesbrough - All wards
North Tyneside -All wards
Preston (2 wards)
Preston Rural North (PR3, PR4)
Ribbleton (PR1, PR2)
South Tyneside - All wards
Stevenage - All wards
Trafford Metropolitan - All wards
E-voting
Bolton - All wards - e-voting machines in polling stations - May 2nd
Chester (3 wards) - e-voting machines in polling stations- May 2nd
Blacon Hall (DA1, DA2, DA3)
Christleton (DE1, DE2, DE3)
Vicars Cross (DU1)
Borough of Crewe and Nantwich (2 wards) - internet voting - Wed 24th - Sun 28th
Mawgreen
Wybunbury
City of Liverpool (2 wards) - Telephone, internet or text messaging voting - Friday 26th - Tuesday 30th
Everton (L3, L5, L6)
Church (L15, L18)
London Borough of Newham - All wards - e-voting machines in polling stations and mobile units
St Albans (2 wards) - e-voting machines - Thursday 25th - Friday 26th April
Verulam (AL3, a few AL1, AL2)
Sopwell (AL1, a few AL2)
Sheffield (3 wards) - e-voting in kiosks, internet or text messaging voting - Thursday 24th - May 2nd
Hallam (S10, a few S6)
Manor (S9, S2, S2, S12)
Nether Edge (S11, S7, S8)
Stratford upon Avon - all wards - e-voting in polling stations on May 2nd
Swindon - all wards - internet or phone voting - Thursday 26th -Tuesday 30th (midday)
It's vitally important that the experiences of disabled voters are recorded and acted upon when planning future elections, to ensure that everyone has equal access to democracy. If you are a disabled person living in one of these areas, we very much hope that you will take part in the survey and record your voting experiences. If you're not disabled but know disabled people in your area please pass this information on to them.
Your survey results will be put in a report that will also include recommendations for how pilot voting schemes can be improved in the future. The report will be sent to the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions who make decisions on how elections are run.
To get a survey form or to find out more about it please contact Anna Woodward or Ruth Scott on 020 7 619 7252/3. Alternatively, email [log in to unmask] or write to Campaigns, 6 Market Road, London N7 9PW.
With best wishes
Anna Woodward/ Ruth Scott
Campaigns Officers
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