The announcement that iVote will be unavailable for state and local government by-elections in 2022 and no guarantee it will be available for the NSW state election in 2023 is of serious concern to Vision Australia.
For many people who are blind or have low vision, iVote is the only way for them to be able to independently cast a secret and secure vote at elections. While there are other alternative options to attending a polling location on election day such as telephone voting, these rely on a third party to complete a vote.
The New South Wales government must provide the New South Wales Electoral Commission with the necessary funding to properly maintain and operate iVote and the Commission must ensure iVote is available for the 2023 NSW election and do all possible to have iVote available for by-elections during 2022.
The ability to independently cast a secret and secure vote is a right that must be extended to everyone. Without iVote, people who are blind or have low vision will be stripped of this right and this must be avoided at all costs.
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Further media enquiries: Phil McCarroll, 0416 632 253.