About 30 persons with visual impairments took part in a training seminar on voting in the conditions of the mixed-member electoral system. These simulated voting at an improvised polling place at the National Information and Rehabilitation Center of the Moldova Association of the Blind, IPN reports.
Nicolae Ciobanu, senior specialist on social, cultural and sports matters at the Moldova Association of the Blind, took part in all the elections that were held in Moldova since the declaration of independence. “Until 2010, I voted with the assistance of an accompanying person. In the parliamentary elections of November 28, 2010, I voted alone owing to the template envelope that enabled me to identify the electoral contender for whom I wanted to vote in a tactile way,” stated Nicolae Ciobanu, noting each person should have equal conditions for exercising their rights, while the right to vote is a very important one.
Tatiana Goraș, psychologist of the Technological Lyceum for Persons with Poor Vision, for the first time voted without an accompanying person at the 2010 parliamentary elections, with the assistance of the closed-circuit television system that enabled her to magnify the ballot on the screen of the device. “I had different voting experiences, both positive and negative ones. For example, when I voted at the place of birth, most of the times when I presented myself at the polling place, those from inside insistently said “Help her”! In those moments, I felt psychological discomfort. Every time I had to explain that I want and can vote independently,” she stated.
Tatiana Goraș noted the creation of conditions for the persons with visual impairments to be able to vote independently is important for changing also the mentality. “The image of a disabled person who is being accompanied and helped at any pace generates pity, compassion, impotence. These feelings and perceptions lead to the further labeling of persons with disabilities as vulnerable, impotent persons. The vote is an occasion by which the persons with disabilities can show that they can be independent and can do things without assistance if conditions adjusted to their needs are created,” stated the psychologist.
Victor Koroli, director of the Association “Alianța Infonet”, said the elections enable the persons with disabilities to become more visible in society. What is important is that these should come and vote so as to show they are part of society.
The vote with the template envelope was piloted in Moldova at the parliamentary elections of November 28, 2010. In the legislative elections of 2014, a number of polling places in Moldova were outfitted with template envelopes and magnifying glasses.
