[Report] "Can't Voting Be Made Easier for People with Disabilities?"... Visiting a Polling Station Together

Developmentally Disabled Voters Visit Polling Stations for the 20th Presidential Election
Difficulty Ensuring Voting Rights Due to Election Materials Containing Complex Chinese Characters and Concepts
Polling Stations on the First Floor... Voting Still Challenging for People with Physical Limitations

On the 9th, Park Mansun (57), who visited a polling station in Dobong-gu, Seoul with Kim Heeja, is placing a ballot into the ballot box with the help of an election official. Park Mansun, who has a developmental disability, stated that this is their first time voting. Photo by Yoon Seulgi seul97@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] "My heart is pounding after voting"

On the afternoon of the 9th, the day of the main vote for the 20th presidential election, Kim Hee-ja (42), a person with developmental disabilities, whom we met at a polling station located in Dobong-gu, Seoul, could not hide her excitement about casting her first vote in front of the polling station. Kim said, "I practiced in advance," emphasizing, "You must never tell anyone who you voted for, and you can only mark one person on the ballot."

Song Ye-rim, a coordinator from Nowon Eoullim who accompanied Kim as her voting observer, said that Kim tires more easily than others because she did not receive walking training during her childhood. However, Kim did not complain at all about the long line extending outside the polling station. When Song asked, "Aren't you tired?" Kim replied, "I'm okay," and patiently stood in line for about 20 minutes to vote.

The polling station where Kim voted was a classroom located on the first floor of a high school. Although it was on the first floor, to enter inside, one had to climb eight steps about 18 cm high. The afternoon temperature was 16℃ in Seoul, a spring day considered "good weather for voting" for non-disabled people, but difficulties remained for those with physical limitations who needed to use canes, assistive devices, or electric wheelchairs.

Park Chan-su, who visited a polling station in Dobong-gu, Seoul, parked an electric wheelchair in a corner out of concern that citizens might feel inconvenienced. Photo by Yoon Seul-gi seul97@asiae.co.kr

Park Chan-su (51), who came to the polling station in an electric wheelchair, tried to use the ramp instead of the stairs but soon got off the wheelchair and stood in line. Park said, "After an accident eight years ago, the right side of my body became paralyzed," adding, "It would be nice to use the electric wheelchair to go up the ramp and vote, but the ramp is too narrow and I felt like I was bothering others." He continued, "I accept the inconvenience I face every time I vote, but it is still uncomfortable. It seems that changing the world is not an easy task. I was also disappointed that the presidential candidates' pledges regarding people with disabilities were insufficient." After finishing his words, Park carefully climbed the stairs one step at a time toward the polling station.

For elderly person A, who came to the polling station pulling an assistive device with their granddaughter, the stairs were a major obstacle. The granddaughter carried the assistive device, and A was able to climb the stairs with help from nearby citizens. A bystander watching this said, "Voting seems very difficult for people with physical disabilities," sighing, "It would be more comfortable if there were people to help or even chairs to sit on..."

A citizen using an assistive device is standing in line at a polling station in Dobong-gu, Seoul. Photo by Seulgi Yoon seul97@asiae.co.kr

Given this situation, voices calling for "easy voting" are emerging. Coordinator Song pointed out that even election campaign materials can be a barrier for people with disabilities. He said, "In Kim's case, she likes learning and acquires knowledge quickly. However, since the campaign materials are explained using difficult Chinese characters and complex concepts, there is a limit to Kim's understanding."

Earlier, the National Election Commission (NEC) collaborated with social enterprises on the 25th of last month to distribute supplementary materials that make policies easier to understand for people with developmental and visual disabilities through local welfare centers. However, they did not convert each candidate's pledges into easy language. It remains difficult for people with developmental disabilities to understand candidates' policies. Coordinator Song said, "I explained to Kim one by one what each part of the campaign materials meant," adding, "I hope easy-to-understand campaign materials that consider the voting rights of people with disabilities become mandatory."

Ms. Kim Hee-ja took out her welfare card to vote. Photo by Yoon Seul-gi seul97@asiae.co.kr

Kim successfully completed her first vote. The guidelines related to voting assistance for people with developmental disabilities were changed on the 24th of last month, causing some confusion. In the 21st general election in April 2020, the NEC suddenly excluded people with developmental disabilities from the voting assistance target in its voting management manual. Since then, people with disabilities have demanded the guarantee of voting rights and filed lawsuits regarding voting assistance, and from this presidential election, they have been able to receive voting assistance. Although this is a guideline in the NEC manual rather than a law, which could cause difficulties depending on the polling station situation, fortunately, the election staff at the site Kim visited responded appropriately.

After voting, Kim repeatedly said she felt "anxious." She said, "I practiced, but I'm anxious if I marked correctly." However, soon after, Kim showed a bright expression and made a hand motion as if stamping, pledging to definitely vote in the June local elections as well.

Meanwhile, disability organizations are urging improvements to the election system to ensure full voting rights. On the 4th, the "Disability Voting Rights Response Team," composed of seven disability organizations including the Disability Discrimination Prevention Coalition (Jangchuryeon), held a press conference in front of the Jongno Disabled Welfare Center, an early voting station in Jongno-gu, demanding, "Guarantee the voting rights guaranteed by the Constitution fully to disabled voters."

The organizations stated, "Since the first National Assembly election on May 10, 1948, many institutional improvements and legal amendments have been made to guarantee voting rights over more than 70 years, but improvements and legal amendments considering the voting rights of people with disabilities have always been the last," adding, "In the case of people with developmental disabilities, they are not even specified in the Public Official Election Act. For nearly 10 years, people with developmental disabilities have requested easy-to-understand materials, but the National Election Commission has not conducted a single research project."

Furthermore, the organizations specifically called for ▲ mandatory provision of sign language interpretation and subtitles throughout the election process ▲ deployment of official assistants at polling stations ▲ provision of easy-to-understand election information and introduction of pictorial ballots for people with developmental disabilities, and ▲ establishment of systems to guarantee voting rights for residents of facilities.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.