In addition to the stigmas associated with disability, candidates with disabilities encounter funding barriers. The United Kingdom has introduced the Access to Elected Office fund.45 This fund helps candidates with disabilities meet additional costs, such as accessible transportation or sign language interpreters. The fund gives candidates grants of up to £10,000 GBP ($16,000 USD). While it may not be possible for governments in many countries to offer similar mechanisms, international donors and implementing organizations can provide assistance to candidates with disabilities in the form of training. Campaigns One of the largest barriers to an inclusive campaign process is the lack of information in accessible formats. Voters with disabilities need information on political party manifestos, candidates and campaign events to make an informed decision. There are several areas in which support to candidates and EMBs can ensure all voters have the opportunity to weigh their choices. Securing Election Pledges Good Practice In Sierra Leone, NDI assisted a coalition of CSOs that included a DPO in drafting a code of conduct for parties contesting the November 2012 elections. The document was intended to promote an electoral atmosphere free of violence and intimidation, and to encourage women and other marginalized populations to participate in the election process. The code explicitly states that parties will include women and persons with disabilities in the candidate lists, obligating signatories to “empower our party’s women, youth, and disabled candidates for Parliament and local council with campaign, transportation, and financial assistance.” The code of conduct provided a standard to which CSOs can hold political parties accountable during the campaign period. Members of the coalition that drafted the code have promoted their initiative in the media through radio interviews and the distribution of laminated copies of the code to party offices throughout the country. The electoral period provides an opportunity for DPOs to call on parties and politicians to sign on to public pledges to address issues of concern to persons with disabilities. Political actors are naturally more inclined to make promises while attempting to garner votes from as many segments of the population as possible. DPOs can use the political space created by elections to attract attention to ongoing advocacy initiatives or problems facing their constituencies. Drafting election pledges also allows DPOs to create an atmosphere of positive peer pressure among parties and candidates to respond to the needs of the disability community, as they can point to signatories of their pledge in public and call for more to sign on. These pledges can form a central part of an overall advocacy strategy, providing an opportunity for DPOs to monitor compliance with pledges in the post-election period. This also promotes political party interaction with DPOs on issues affecting the disability community, which sets the stage for a collaborative relationship after the election. Candidates Conduct Specific Outreach to Persons with Disabilities In addition to ensuring general campaign materials are accessible to all citizens; DPOs can use the elections as an opportunity to engage candidates on issues specific to the disability community. Prior to the July 2012 elections, NDI provided assistance to a coalition of Mexican DPOs in developing a series of proposals on disability issues to share with presidential candidates. The coalition published these proposals on their website and promoted them on social media platforms. After publicizing these proposals, the DPO organized dialogues with all presidential candidates and Mexico City mayoral candidates, with the exception of one party. Through these discussions ‒ which were the first-ever in Mexico between presidential candidates and the 45 United Kingdom. Access to Elected Office. Government Digital Service, 2012. <https://www.gov.uk/government/ news/access-to-elected-office>. 54 International Foundation for Electoral Systems and National Democratic Institute