The McGonagle Reader, or MGR, is a revolutionary audio-tactile device designed to empower blind and partially sighted voters in the United Kingdom. This innovative invention combines an audio player with a plastic template, guiding users to locate the voting boxes on the ballot paper. The development of the McGonagle Reader was spurred by the Elections Act 2022, which mandates that election administrators provide essential accommodations for all voters. These accommodations include tactile voting devices, large print ballot papers, magnifiers, extra lighting, and staff assistance, ensuring accessibility for all.
Pakflatt, the company behind this patented invention, created the McGonagle® Reader to meet these new regulations and enable blind and partially sighted voters to vote independently. The device has been met with positive reception, as evidenced by Khadija’s experience, shared on The Guardian live blog during the United Kingdom elections. Khadija, the first person to use the McGonagle device at her polling station, found it incredibly helpful. Despite the staff’s initial nervousness, Khadija found the device easy to use and effective. The ballot was aligned perfectly beneath the template, and she was provided with headphones for privacy, allowing her to vote independently and confidentially.
Initially, Khadija worried that using the device on election day might be more challenging than during her previous tests. However, she found it remarkably simple. This was the first time she had voted by listening to the ballot and marking the box herself, highlighting the device’s user-friendly design and its potential to empower blind voters.
Despite advancements like the McGonagle Reader, a significant need for improvement remains. The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has urged political parties to commit to removing barriers that prevent blind people from voting independently and in secret. The RNIB estimates that 160,000 people in the UK with severe sight loss face difficulties voting independently due to insufficient adjustments at polling stations. Statistics from the last general election revealed that only 13 percent of blind people felt they could vote independently and confidentially, emphasizing the urgent need for further efforts to enhance accessibility in voting for the visually impaired.
