Agatka  who is vision impaired and soon to be first time voter explains why this petition was started:

"I believe that politics is, or rather should be, inclusive - seeking to represent all members of society. This, after all, is objective of democracy.

But how can I encourage my blind and partially sighted friends to get involved with politics – to vote – when there is no secure way for them to do so? In fact, how does it make me feel that, as a partially sighted 18 year old, I will not be able to vote without assistance at the next general election? The truth is that blind and partially sighted people, together with other disabled people, are the biggest group in our society still not to have the possibility of voting, using the secret ballot. This surely is not right.

"But this year things have changed, for those in New Zealand at least. On Saturday 20 September 2014 blind, partially sighted or otherwise disabled voters were able to cast their vote using telephone dictation voting. Thomas Bryan of the Blind Foundation in New Zealand was one of these people. Up until this year he had taken someone with him to the polling booth or had to ask one of the staff to assist him in his voting. ‘I have to trust that whoever assists me does what I ask them to’.

"With the wide availability of technology that would make the secret ballot possible for disabled voters I believe that there is no excuse for this flaw in our electoral system to remain. I for one would be delighted to be able to make my mark in the next general election whilst practicing my right to a secret ballot.

"I trust and fully expect that the political machine will pick up on this huge possibility of engaging more of the electorate and those steps will be taken to implement some of the innovative ideas that would make this possible."