Alexandra Richards
 |
| Who gets to Vote? Image: Every Vote Counts |
The upcoming
election is an opportunity for the population to have their say in the future
running of the country. We live in a democracy and the right to vote feels
fundamental. But two
thirds of all people in the UK with learning disabilities do not vote. Many
may not even know that they are entitled to a vote. UK-based statistics are not
available but research suggests that for individuals who have cognitive
impairments of other causes (e.g dementia, brain injury), voting
rates may be similarly low.
Though there
are many jokes about the intellectual functioning of the average voter abound
in the run-up to an election, the reality is that voting eligibility is not
determined by intellectual ability. It appears though that this is not common
knowledge. Many health and social care professionals (see here and here) are not fully
aware that their clients are actually allowed to vote. The presence of a cognitive impairment may
make the process of voting challenging, but is this really sufficient reason to
not support people from doing so? Assumptions about whether someone can and
should vote may be informed by the ideas around their mental
capacity.
