MONITORING OF POLLING STATION ACCESSIBILITY FOR 

PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES: 98.6% OF IDENTIFIED 

SHORTCOMINGS ADDRESSED

Special monitoring groups in all regions of the country inspected polling stations to assess their accessibility for persons with disabilities. The groups were established at the instruction of the Central Election Commission as part of preparations for the elections of deputies of the Kurultai.

The purpose of the monitoring was to assess the technical and logistical readiness of polling stations and to take measures to improve their accessibility for persons with disabilities.

In most regions, the monitoring was conducted in several stages. Where shortcomings were identified during the initial inspection, the monitoring groups subsequently revisited the relevant polling stations to carry out follow-up checks.

Overall, 97.8% of all polling stations across the country have been covered by the monitoring. Shortcomings were identified at 15.2% of the inspected polling stations. To date, 98.6% of the identified shortcomings have been addressed. Work is continuing at the remaining polling stations.

More than 1,000 people were involved in conducting the monitoring. The monitoring groups included representatives of public associations advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities, staff of regional employment coordination and social programmes departments, members of territorial election commissions, representatives of local executive authorities, and social protection specialists.

The main focus of the monitoring was the accessibility of polling stations. The groups checked the availability of ramps, handrails, assistance call buttons, designated accessible parking spaces, accessible navigation, tactile and raised signs, conditions enabling independent movement and voting, as well as the availability of accessible election information, and assessed their compliance with the established requirements.

During the inspections, the buildings and premises housing polling stations were examined. This included checking the availability and condition of ramps, whether wheelchair turning areas met the established requirements, the availability of lifting devices, tactile indicators, assistance call buttons and handrails, as well as the absence of thresholds and other barriers that could impede the independent movement of wheelchair users.

Among the shortcomings identified were the absence of certain accessibility features or their failure to meet the established requirements. These included designated accessible parking spaces, assistance call buttons, tactile indicators, contrasting markings on steps, information and wayfinding aids, as well as accessible sanitary facilities.

Work to monitor the elimination of the remaining shortcomings is ongoing. Territorial election commissions, together with local executive authorities, have been instructed to ensure that all necessary measures to improve the accessibility of polling stations are completed by election day.