Malta Society of the Blind: Calls for Urgent Reform to Protect the Secret Vote of Blind and Visually Impaired Voters
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Issued by the Malta Society of the Blind, registered voluntary organisation VO/0191
Malta, 28 May 2026
The Malta Society of the Blind is calling on the Electoral Commission and the relevant authorities to urgently address the long-standing barrier faced by blind and visually impaired voters in Malta.
At present, voters who are blind or visually impaired are not permitted to take a trusted person of their choice with them into the voting booth. Instead, where assistance is required, they must rely on election officials. This means that, for many blind voters, their vote is not cast with the same level of privacy, independence and personal trust enjoyed by other voters.
The Society stresses that this is not a minor administrative issue. It goes to the heart of the democratic right to vote freely, independently and in secrecy.
"In 25 of the 27 EU Member States, persons with disabilities can ask a person of their choice to assist them at the polling station. Malta and Greece are the exceptions, as assistance is limited to election officials. Although Malta provides Braille templates as a private voting facility for visually impaired voters, this does not provide an effective accessible solution for many blind voters who do not read Braille."
The Malta Society of the Blind therefore calls on the Electoral Commission and the Government to:
- Allow blind and visually impaired voters to be assisted by a trusted person of their own choice at the polling station.
- Introduce this measure with appropriate safeguards to protect the integrity and secrecy of the vote.
- Consult directly with organisations representing blind and visually impaired persons before finalising any electoral accessibility reforms.
- Ensure that future elections in Malta fully respect the rights, dignity and independence of voters with disabilities.
The Society urges media houses, civil society and decision-makers to give this matter the attention it deserves. Accessible voting is not a favour to persons with disabilities. It is a fundamental democratic right.
Media contact:
Mariana Grech, Secretary — Malta Society of the Blind
Email: secretary@maltasocietyoftheblind.org
Website: www.maltasocietyoftheblind.org