AccessEU

Inspiration

More than 80 million Europeans live with disabilities, yet millions still face barriers when trying to exercise one of their most fundamental democratic rights — voting. Across the EU, inaccessible polling stations, lack of easy-to-understand voting materials, and limited assistive support continue to exclude citizens from full democratic participation.

We were inspired by the European Union’s commitment to inclusion and equality, and by a simple belief:

Disability should never be a barrier to democracy.

Every citizen deserves equal access to voting, information, and independent participation in elections.

What It Does

AccessEU is a comprehensive accessibility-first voting platform designed to make elections more inclusive across all 27 EU countries.

Core Features

Feature	Description	Accessibility Focus
Interactive Access Map	Discover polling stations filtered by accessibility needs	Wheelchair access, audio support, visual assistance, easy-read materials
My Ballot Guide	Personalized Easy-Read voting information	Simplified language, audio narration, sign language support
Secret Ballot QR	Privacy-preserving QR-based voting assistance	Independent & assisted voting with GDPR compliance
Inclusion Index	Accessibility rankings for polling stations across Europe	Transparent scoring across 4 accessibility pillars

1. Interactive Access Map

An accessibility-focused polling station discovery system covering all 27 EU countries.

Features

Capability	Details
Accessibility Filters	Wheelchair access, visual assistance, audio support, easy-read materials
Accessibility Scores	Each station receives a transparent accessibility rating
Detailed Information	Opening hours, contact details, available support services
Barrier Reporting	Users can report accessibility issues directly
Country Coverage	292,825+ polling stations indexed

2. My Ballot Guide

A personalized voting information experience built for accessibility and comprehension.

Features

Capability	Details
Easy-Read Format	Simplified language for cognitive accessibility
Audio Read-Aloud	Text-to-speech support for manifestos
Sign Language Support	Embedded sign-language video assistance
Downloadable PDFs	Offline accessible ballot guides
Accessibility Promises	Candidate commitments to disability rights clearly highlighted

3. Secret Ballot QR

A secure and privacy-first system enabling independent voting assistance.

Privacy & Security Features

Feature	Implementation
Local QR Generation	Codes generated entirely on-device
Zero Data Storage	No personal voting data stored or transmitted
Encryption	End-to-end encrypted QR payloads
Expiration	QR codes automatically expire after 24 hours
GDPR Compliance	Fully privacy-compliant architecture
Assisted Voting	Trusted-person verification support

4. Inclusion Index

A transparent accessibility ranking system for polling stations across Europe.

Scoring Methodology

Accessibility Pillar	Weight
Physical Accessibility	25%
Visual Accessibility	25%
Auditory Accessibility	25%
Cognitive Accessibility	25%

Platform Statistics

Metric	Value
Countries Covered	27
Polling Stations Indexed	292,825+
Accessibility Dimensions	4
Reporting System	Included

How We Built It

We built AccessEU using a modern accessibility-first technology stack designed for performance, scalability, and inclusivity.

Tech Stack

Technology	Purpose
Next.js	Server-side rendering & SEO optimization
Tailwind CSS	Responsive utility-first styling
shadcn/ui	Accessible and consistent UI components
Client-side QR Generation	Secure local-only ballot code generation

Accessibility Architecture

Accessibility was not treated as an afterthought — it was the foundation of the platform.

Accessibility Standards

Accessibility Feature	Implementation
WCAG Compliance	Full WCAG 2.1 AA compliance
Keyboard Navigation	Full support for Tab, Enter, Escape navigation
Screen Reader Support	ARIA labels & semantic HTML
Theme Modes	Light, Dark, Color Blind
Readability	Minimum 16px text sizing
Touch Targets	Minimum 44×44px interactive areas
Focus Visibility	High-contrast focus indicators

Challenges We Ran Into

Building a deeply accessible platform while maintaining a polished user experience was our biggest challenge.

Major Challenges

Challenge	Solution
WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance	Extensive accessibility testing across all components
Complex Keyboard Flows	Custom focus management and semantic navigation
Privacy-Preserving Voting	Fully client-side QR generation architecture
Cognitive Accessibility	Simplified UX and Easy-Read design patterns
Large-Scale Data Visualization	Structured filtering and accessibility-first navigation

Designing the Secret Ballot QR system was especially difficult because it needed to balance:

Privacy
Simplicity
Security
Accessibility for users with cognitive disabilities

We also had to present complex accessibility data across 292K+ polling stations in a way that remained intuitive and easy to navigate for users with varying accessibility needs.

Accomplishments We're Proud Of

Achievement	Why It Matters
Full WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance	Accessibility across every feature, not partial implementation
Three Accessibility Themes	Beyond standard dark/light mode support
On-Device Secret Ballot QR	Zero data transmission for privacy
Inclusion Index	Transparent accessibility rankings at EU scale
Accessible Manifesto System	Easy-Read, audio, and sign language support
Barrier Reporting	Empowers users to advocate for accessibility improvements

What We Learned

Through building AccessEU, we learned that:

Accessibility must be integrated from the beginning — not retrofitted later
Great accessibility often results in better UX for everyone
Democratic participation remains uneven across EU member states
Inclusive design requires continuous testing with real assistive technologies

We also gained a deep understanding of:

WCAG 2.1 standards
Cognitive accessibility principles
Accessible interaction design
EU election accessibility challenges

What's Next for AccessEU

Future Roadmap

Upcoming Feature	Goal
Real-Time Queue Status	Reduce waiting times and improve accessibility planning
Support for 24 EU Languages	Full multilingual accessibility
Live Election Authority Integration	Real-time polling station data feeds
NGO Partnerships	Accessibility validation & community outreach
Municipal Election Coverage	Expansion beyond national elections
Offline Mobile App	Access in low-connectivity regions