Exploratory Study on Voting Improvement Measures Perceived by Visually Impaired Voters

This study aims to explore practical improvement measures by conducting focus group interviews with 14 totally blind residents of Seoul, delving deeply into the voting experiences of visually impaired voters and the improvement measures they perceive. The results revealed four categories and 11 subcategories, encompassing 31 units of meaning, related to the acquisition of electoral information, electoral materials, difficulties in the voting process, and the significance of the voting experience. Despite facing challenges throughout the process, from obtaining election information to managing electoral materials and participating in the voting process, the participants recognized voting as an essential means of exercising their rights. Additionally, the visually impaired voters identified improvement measures in three categories—provision of information, movement to and preparation at polling stations, and the actual marking of ballots—yielding seven subcategories and 20 units of meaning, confirming the need for improvements from the perspective of visually impaired voters. Based on these findings, this study proposes practical measures to enhance the accessibility of the voting process.