Sunflower conducts accessibility scan at all Hattem polling stations

In the run-up to the municipal elections, the Sunflower has examined all six polling stations in Hattem for accessibility. The locations include MFC De Marke, Bethelkerk, De Open Poort, Ontmoetingskerk, the Town Hall, and WZC Hof van Blom. The reports show that the municipality of Hattem scores well on many points, while also providing meaningful recommendations to make voting as accessible as possible for everyone.

About the study

The Sunflower assessed the key aspects of accessible voting at each location:

• Accessibility of the location,
• Ease of entry,
• Usability indoors, including available space and assistive tools,
• The possibility of an independent route from outside to the voting booth.

This approach aligns with the national campaign "Our Vote Counts Too," which encourages municipalities to facilitate low-threshold and inclusive voting.

General situation in Hattem

The six reports indicate that Hattem already has many provisions in place. All polling stations provide assistive tools, such as large-print candidate lists, Braille candidate lists, and magnifiers for people with visual impairments. Entrances are generally easy to find, and doors can be left open on election day to improve accessibility. Additionally, the reports highlight some general points that require attention, such as optimizing routes to the entrance, using assistive tools where necessary for thresholds, and improving the visibility of certain parts of the setup. The municipality will take these points into account in further preparations for election day. Mayor Marleen Sanderse: “All eligible voters in Hattem must be able to exercise their right to vote. This independent scan helps us make voting even more accessible and independent. Many things are already in order, and where bottlenecks exist, we will address them specifically. This way, we ensure together that every vote counts in Hattem.”

Next steps

The recommendations from the six reports will be reviewed by the municipality, and where possible, implemented before the upcoming elections. For other improvements, it will be examined which structural adjustments are appropriate and feasible. In doing so, Hattem aligns with the national movement to make voting as accessible as possible for everyone.