Trans voters denied chance to vote ....

[Floundering]

here's a link

My trans son who will be 18 early in 2015 is spitting feathers as he has changed his name by deed poll but if he wants to vote he will have to provide and register under his birth name according to the latest changes. This can seriously out him and impact on his self esteem having managed transition so well so far, but having to "pretend". as he sees it, to being his former name is very upsettting.

Now I can see that the govt want to avoid fraudulent use of a ballot paper but the implications are worrying not only for trans folk but anyone who has changed their name to protect their identity, in DV cases etc Not sure how the Data Protection act can help here?

I can only find a couple of articles so wanted to flag it up & see if anyone else had picked this up?

[TheGirlFromIpanema]

I think that vote rigging is a serious concern around on-line and postal voting.

Checks should be rigourous to ensure one vote for all. I am sure that a passport office would require the same, and don't feel anyone is being 'outed' as voting checks are not publically available.

Surely your DS will just fill in the form this once and then forever be known as his new identity with the electoral people?

What would you suggest as an alternative? I can't think of one myself.

[Floundering]

He tried the online form, it wouldn't let him progress without details of his old name, and evidence of such would be required if change under a year old, and it might still be registered under old name.

I think its right they are so stringent & can't see a way round it online but I'm sure we could maybe go in to the council offices & see if a Real Person can deal with it.

Just so bloody annoying when you go to the hassle of changing your name legally & then it's ignored when you have deed poll proof.

He is in process of changing all official ID Kimso I have suggested we wait till that's all done & try again ready for the election.

[CelesteToTheDance]

So sacrifice a fair ballot for individuals? His vote (and everybody else's) is no use if there's mass fraud anyway.

[TheNewStatesman]

I'm confused. You mean he has to reveal his previous name every time he votes for the rest of his life? Or just this one time, while registering? Does he have to disclose to someone at the polling station? Or is it just an online form?

[Mrsmorton]

I'm pretty sure the register has closed for the election next year, I was canvassing and we had to have all our forms done by 24 Nov.

You have to give your name and any other name you've had in the last 12 months. OP is being slightly disingenuous saying trans ppl are denied the chance to vote.

[ScrambledEggAndToast]

It's unfortunate that he's trans but it's not like it's just an issue for people in his situation. I hate people knowing that I was previously married and never tell new people I meet (in RL obvs, MN doesn't count) but on this form I will have to declare my former married name. No different in my opinion, I'm not that person anymore.

[OneDayWhenIGrowUp]

He's not being denied the chance to vote. He's just being asked for proof of identity to prevent fraud when registering.

There'll be a lot of little bumps along the way when transitioning. It seems daft to be creating extra battles when there are already enough to fight.

[TheSporkforeatingkyriarchy]

Scrambled It is not 'unfortunate' to be trans

It is unfortunate repeated issues with the government keeping personal details safe means that trans people, along other groups of people whose assigned birth names being exposed puts them at far greater risk of violence, means that many feel that this database would put them at significant risk and therefore many feel they are denied the chance to safely vote that other citizens have.

While your unmarried name may not put you at danger, outed trans people are often targeted for violence in our structurally cissexist society - and as someone who changed my name to prevent violence from a stalker and their community for myself and my kids (as they had threatened to kidnap them), my former name would put me and my children at risk as well.

It is unfortunate that the government didn't foresee this issue to find the ways and means that they have to take care of all their citizens - with the still very high incidents of violence against trans people in this country as well as the major issue of violence against those who leave abusive homes, the loud speaking out in previous recent legislation that threw trans people and domestic violence victims under the bus, and the ridicule made at other nations who have brought in nonsense ID laws for voter fraud that did nothing that previous legislation did not do but created unneeded barriers to many (often the ones the government doesn't like), the government has little excuse to have not thought about these issues before hand - other than such policies rarely cause them harm because the majority shrug off the harm it could cause others. It is unfortunate that we live in such a cissexist, violent society where these things are a major concern to people and so many choose to dismiss them.

[Floundering]

Thank you Spork, put much more eloquently & correctly than I could!

MrsMorton not trying to be disingenuous at all, but maybe I should have said SOME trans voters!