Abstract

It is known that people with disabilities encounter barriers to participation in national elections. These barriers often lead to differences in voter turnout between people with disabilities and those without (referred to as the disability gap). This study analyzed the disability gap in national elections between 2006 and 2016 in 24 European Union countries. Further, it analyzed the association between voter turnout and national levels of election information accessibility. Data from the European Social Survey and the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency were used. While the disability gap varied across countries and years, the average gap increased from 3.45 percent in 2006 to 8.38 percent in 2016 and remained statistically significant when controlling for potential confounders. Further, voter turnout was found to be positively related to the accessibility of information. These findings underline the need for more research on how to close the disability gap in voter turnout.

• Points of interest

• This study reports that, in many European countries, people with disabilities are less likely to vote in national elections than people without disabilities.

• The study found that this difference in voter turnout increased from 2006 to 2016.

• The difference exists because individuals with disabilities face barriers to voting not faced by individuals without disabilities.

• Information about elections is, for example, often provided in standard formats that are inaccessible to individuals with disabilities. Information about elections includes information about the timing and location of elections as well as information on candidate positions.

• The study found that individuals with disabilities are more likely to vote in countries where election information is provided in accessible formats than in countries where it is provided in standard, non-accessible formats. Accessible formats include those that use easy-to-read layouts, large print, tactile writing systems, and read-aloud systems.

摘要

众所周知，残疾人在参加全国选举时遇到障碍。这些障碍通常会导致残疾人与非残疾人之间的投票率存在差异（称为残疾差距）。本研究分析了 2006 年至 2016 年 24 个欧盟国家在全国选举中的残疾差距。此外，它分析了选民投票率与全国选举信息可访问性之间的关联。使用了来自欧洲社会调查和欧盟基本权利机构的数据。虽然残疾差距因国家和年份而异，但平均差距从 2006 年的 3.45% 增加到 2016 年的 8.38%，并且在控制潜在混杂因素时仍然具有统计学意义。更远，选民投票率与信息的可及性呈正相关。这些发现强调了需要对如何缩小选民投票率中的残疾差距进行更多研究。

• 兴趣点

• 该研究报告称，在许多欧洲国家，残疾人在全国选举中投票的可能性低于非残疾人。

• 研究发现，这种选民投票率的差异从 2006 年到 2016 年有所增加。

• 之所以存在差异，是因为残障人士面临的投票障碍并非非残障人士所面临的。

• 例如，有关选举的信息通常以残疾人无法访问的标准格式提供。有关选举的信息包括有关选举时间和地点的信息以及有关候选人职位的信息。

• 研究发现，在以无障碍格式提供选举信息的国家，与以标准、非无障碍格式提供选举信息的国家相比，残疾人更有可能投票。可访问的格式包括那些使用易于阅读的布局、大字体、触觉书写系统和朗读系统的格式。