A 96-year-old woman who uses a wheelchair faced major obstacles to exercise her right to vote this Sunday (25) at a polling station located in Ribeirão Preto, in the state of São Paulo, which lacked adequate accessibility. She was only able to reach the polling place thanks to the assistance of two press professionals covering the situation.
Ms. Rogéria Moreira da Silva declared her determination to vote, stating: 'I insist on it. I am 96 years old, one could not even think about it, but I like it. I am alive.' The elderly woman has mobility difficulties due to health problems; although she underwent orthopedic surgery in July of this year, her recovery was hampered, forcing her to rely on a wheelchair.
According to information from the Electoral Justice, voters with disabilities have the right to request a change of voting location to an accessible section at the electoral registry office until August 20. However, the elderly woman's family missed this established deadline.
Voting in the First Round
During the first round, Ms. Rogéria managed to vote at the Otoniel Mota School, located downtown, with the support of police officers and another voter present at the location. Her daughter, Regiane Aparecida Vieira da Silva, a businesswoman, reported that no Electoral Justice employee offered help, claiming that support should only be familial. It was the intervention of the police and a voter that allowed her to go up and vote in the first round.
During the interval between the two rounds, Regiane tried to contact the Electoral Justice to transfer her mother's registration to a ground-floor section. However, she was unsuccessful, as the attendants informed her that such a procedure would not be possible after the 2nd.
Unexpected Help
This Sunday, Ms. Rogéria insisted on registering her vote again. However, according to her daughter, the poll workers informed her that it was the family's responsibility to ensure her arrival on the first floor. Regiane expressed frustration, mentioning that there were no available police officers, and that calls to the Fire Department and SAMU also could not provide assistance, just like the Electoral Justice, despite her desire to vote, as she considers it a fundamental right.
After an impasse that lasted three hours, Ms. Rogéria finally reached the polling station with the help of reporter Eudis Filho from CBN Ribeirão and cinematographer Jefferson Severiano Neves from EPTV. Sensitized by the situation, Eudis and Jefferson carried Ms. Rogéria in her chair to the voting room, allowing her to exercise her right, even though she was no longer obligated to vote. She emphasized that 'Every vote counts.'