Little by little, the groups take their place in the municipal hall of Nanterre town hall. All in a situation of mental handicap, They come to participate in the citizen workshop set up by the town hall, the Unapei network and the Créative Handicap association. Created before the 2020 municipal elections, these workshops attempt to make the electoral process accessible to all in the run-up to the European elections, the June 9.
“Today it’s over, everyone can vote”
For more than an hour Eric Solas, deputy mayor in charge of elections and Elisabeth Wilkowski, disability project manager, presented the conditions of access to voting, the calendar, the progress of the European elections and responded to questions and comments. These ranged from taking into account the blank vote to the interest of the European elections via women’s rights. Without forgetting, the discrimination that participants experienced. Some testified to the fact that certain town halls had refused the vote because of their disability.
In fact, the right to vote for people protected by guardianship, i.e. for the majority of mentally and psychologically disabled people, has only been fully authorized since 2019. Access to full citizenship which has clearly not removed all the obstacles. “This is why we organize these workshops, to say thattoday it’s over, everyone can vote” Elisabeth Wilkowski asserts to the public.
Debunking fear of voting
The workshop concluded with a voting simulation with a real voting booth made available to participants. “This exercise is important to demystify and remove fear of the polling station, questions such as “is it right for me, can I do it?”” explains Sylvie Sanchez, founder of the Créative Handicap association.
If these workshops are becoming more and more numerous, Nanterre registers as precursor. “It is one of the pilot cities in relation to the rights of people with disabilities” adds Sylvie Sanchez. Welcome workshops as an election approaches abstention rate pupil.
