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Quick Reference Guide to Accessible All Candidates Meetings
How to Use This Guide
All voters want to have the information they need to decide who to vote for on Election Day. One way to get that information is to go to a meeting where all of the candidates in the riding tell what their parties plan to do about important issues and respond to voter’s questions.
Taking part in the democratic process by attending a local All Candidates meeting is something most people take for granted. However, not everyone can take advantage of this opportunity. People with disabilities commonly experience barriers in directly accessing their candidates during All Candidates meetings.
The Quick Reference Guide to Accessible All Candidates Meetings has been developed to assist you and your planning team to look at ways of ensuring that voters with disabilities have the opportunity to participate in an All Candidates meeting in a setting that supports their ability to communicate directly with candidates.
By building accessible information and communication strategies into the planning of your meeting, you can meet the information needs of all voters. Remember – communication is a two-way street. You are not only providing information to voters but you are also putting in place effective ways for political candidates to seek the views of voters with disabilities.
The Guide provides recommendations on effective strategies and information about alternative formats, assistive technologies and services to make sure your meeting is accessible to the largest possible audience.
Three important points need to be considered when planning an accessible All Candidates meeting:
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Physical access to the meeting location
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Access to the dialogue that will take place during the meeting
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Ability for voters to pose their questions to candidates and receive the answer to their questions in a way that is understood by them
Advanced planning will ensure that the needs of voters with disabilities are anticipated and acted upon ahead of time. Even when you do not know in advance whether any of your participants may need accommodations, you should be prepared to arrange your meeting to be accessible so that everyone can participate independently.