Bexley Council has brought back a mock election for those with learning disabilities ahead of local elections this May.
Around 50 people with learning disabilities attended the event last week at the Civic Offices in Bexley.
It aimed to replicate the real voting process as closely as possible, as well as to provide information about registering to vote and photo ID requirements.
The first event was held before the general election in 2024 by the Learning Disability Partnership Board (LDPB) of Bexley Council.
Laurel Brewster, head of electoral services, said: “We are the only London borough that has put on an event like this.
“It was about empowering them to do their own vote, rather than postal or proxy votes.”
Participants voted on their favourite film out of Harry Potter, Star Wars, Batman, The Greatest Showman, The Lion King, and Frozen.
The event included ballot papers, a polling station set-up, ballot boxes, and a count at the end of the session which declared The Lion King the winner.
Adam Smith, a member of the LDPB who lives with a learning disability, said: “It made people who thought they couldn’t vote because they have a learning disability think, actually, I can. I’m over 18, I can do this.
“I have two friends who are now voting after the mock election.”
In response to feedback after the first mock election, this year the organisers split participants into small groups with election staff so they could ask questions relating to their individual circumstances.
Kara Lee, chief executive of Bexley Mencap, a local charity providing practical support to those with learning disabilities, said the people she works with face significant barriers to voting, particularly following the introduction of voter ID in 2022.
Disabled people can be disproportionately affected because fewer are likely to travel or drive, meaning they might not have a driving licence or passport.
Lee added another barrier to participation is that not every political party issues their pledges in easy-read formats, making information “completely inaccessible” to those with learning difficulties.
Members of the LDPB said the event cost almost nothing to run, with the only expense being the invitations that were sent out.
Lee said she would encourage other boroughs to hold mock elections. “For a small amount of effort and few resources, it could make a huge difference,” she said.
Looking ahead, the LDPB says they hope to hold multiple events before elections to allow more people to attend.
Featured image credit: London Borough of Bexley
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