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<p>The Government notes the recommendations in WebRoots Democracy report. The Government
is committed to building a modern democracy that works for everyone.</p><p>All voters
have the right to vote independently and in secret. To assist blind and visually impaired
voters, Returning Officers must ensure each polling station is equipped with a tactile
voting device which fixes over the ballot paper and allows the voter to mark the ballot
paper independently, and in secret, after a member of polling station staff has read
out the list of candidates on the ballot paper to them. An enlarged version of the
ballot paper is also displayed in each polling station and a large handheld copy provided
on request to assist visually impaired voters. Disabled electors may also take a companion
into the polling station with them for assistance, or make use of postal voting or
appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf, in the same manner as other electors.</p><p>The
introduction of electronic voting (‘e-Voting’) would raise a number of issues which
would need to be considered carefully. The selection of elected representatives for
Parliament is regarded as requiring the highest possible level of integrity and, at
present, there are concerns that e-Voting, by any means, is not seen by many to be
suitably rigorous and secure, and could be vulnerable to attack or fraud. To provide
a system over which there are doubts held by part of the electorate would not be appropriate.</p>
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