A WEB

For the 2025 Romanian Presidential Elections, a pilot-project was implemented in Romania to facilitate voting for the visually impaired. Specifically, an adapted template procedure (with slots that ensured the labelling of the position on the ballot paper in Braille alphabet) was used, allowing for independent (direct) voting in two polling stations located in Bucharest.

The Romanian Association of the Visually Impaired supported this initiative by disseminating information to beneficiaries and providing consultancy on selecting the suitable polling stations for the pilot project. The presidents and deputies of the two selected polling stations received specific training from PEA experts.

To ensure the smooth course of the project, materials written in Braille alphabet were used to present the voting process in this new context. The materials included information about the positions set on the ballot papers - the names of the candidates, the political parties/entities and their acronyms, or the phrase "independent candidate." The PEA also developed audio and easy-to-read materials, which were shared via the institutional communication channels (website and social media) and directly to beneficiaries by the Romanian Association of the Visually Impaired.

Throughout the voting days of both rounds of the Presidential elections, the PEA and the Romanian Association of the Visually Impaired provided assistance to the beneficiaries of the pilot project at the information points located at the entrances of the polling stations.

According to the Romanian Association of the Visually Impaired, over 80 voters used the ballot template to exercise their right to vote in the first round of the Presidential elections, and over 100 used it to cast their vote in the second round of the Presidential elections.

Based on these results, the PEA in partnership with the Romanian Association of the Visually Impaired managed to implement a broader pilot project for visually impaired voters during the local by-elections organized on the 7^th of December 2025.

This second pilot project was implemented in 24 polling stations located across all districts of Bucharest. Voting templates and supplementary materials enabled voters with visual impairments to cast their vote independently and knowledgeably. Using Braille alphabet, these materials informed voters about the procedure, the electoral competitors, and their positions on the ballot papers. Furthermore, information was available in text formats compatible with audio playback or special devices/applications. Moreover, 6 out of the 24 polling stations were also equipped with accessible voting booths of 100 cm width which had a 30 cm height-adjustable shelf.

Similar to the first pilot project, the presidents and deputies of all the polling stations received training regarding the special voting procedure, and visually impaired voters received further assistance from the PEA personnel available at the information points in the voting centres.

The two pilot projects implemented in 2025 represent a first step toward making the electoral processes more accessible for visually impaired voters, and they will continue to be further developed for future elections organized in Romania.