7 February 2023
For many long years citizens with disabilities were often unable to exercise their most natural right of citizenship: the right to vote. Yet countries are shaped by the votes that are cast. Because people with disabilities could not vote, they carried no political weight. This referendum offers the best conditions yet achieved for people with disabilities.
1. Patients and people with disabilities who have difficulty reaching polling stations may call the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Türkiye on 444 38 33 and request transport, and may also make use of the services provided by municipalities and parties on this matter.
2. The ballot boxes where they will vote will be placed in suitable parts of buildings so that people with disabilities can reach them as easily as possible. Even if they are not, please do not turn back. Ask for help from those present and from the officials who brought you, and reach the polling place.
3. In this referendum, people who are blind will be able to vote in secret for the first time. Templates prepared by the Barrier-Free Access Association are available for voting in secret. Those who want these templates can obtain them from the branches of the Turkish Beyazay Association, or can make them themselves. The measurements are available at www.beyazay.org.tr.
4. Citizens who are blind may, if they wish, vote with another person. Sometimes ballot box officials claim that they must do it on behalf of the person who is blind. There is no such thing. A citizen who is blind votes with whomever they wish.
In a statement on the subject, the Secretary General of the Turkish Beyazay Association, Hayri Köse, said: “In our developing and evolving country, the social position of people with disabilities needs to be better. Our citizens with disabilities should vote in the referendum, which is their most democratic right and their duty towards Türkiye. The conditions we currently have in our country are far below what we would wish. We want better, and we want it sooner. Assuming that Türkiye will develop rapidly, we prepared the Beyazay 2023 Vision. And the way to that is the referendum.”
HOW IS A VOTING TEMPLATE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND MADE?
A sheet of white card is cut 34 cm long and 7.5 cm wide. The cut piece, 34 cm long, is folded in two exactly in the middle (so that it is 17 cm). Two frames are cut into the upper 17 cm section. The frames should be cut 5 cm high and 6.5 cm wide, with a 1 cm gap left between the two frames. When the template is held with the folded part on the left-hand side, the left side of the template is for a YES vote and the right side for a NO vote.