ELECTION: Campaign to encourage learning disabled to vote (From News Shopper)

ELECTION: Campaign to encourage learning disabled to vote

8:10pm Wednesday 27th January 2010 in News

A CAMPAIGN is underway designed to encourage more people with learning disabilities to vote.

Supported by Erith and Thamesmead MP John Austin, the campaign, Every Vote Counts, is being run by the disability charity United Response and funded by the Electoral Commission.

Its report has shown as few as 16 per cent of people with learning disabilities voted in the last general election, compared with a national turnout of 61 per cent.

The aim of the campaign is to raise the proportion of people with learning disabilities voting, to at least 40 per cent.

And it urges all the main political parties to produce manifestos in an easy-to-understand format.

Mr Austin said: “Hundreds of thousands of people with learning disabilities feel excluded from democracy, because they are unaware of their right to vote, or find the system complex.

“This means they are missing out on their say in the future of their country.”

He added: “ I certainly hope this campaign will encourage more people to vote, and will aim to play my part in that.”