To ask if you knew you now need photo ID to vote at a polling station?

[DidyouknowyouneedID]

As of the local and Mayoral elections in May in England, you'll need to show photo ID at a polling station when you go to vote in person.

For Wales this also includes PCC elections and parliamentary seats.

If you don't have photo ID, you won't be given a ballot paper.

Here's a list of the accepted forms of photo ID that you need to take with you:

www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/voter-id/accepted-forms-photo-id

And if you don't have accepted photo ID you can apply online for a Voter Authority Certificate before 25 April and take that with you:

www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate

Yes because there are constant ads on the radio about it on my drive to work.
I do a postal vote anyhow but assumed the ads would be on tv/in magazines & newspapers too.

Haven’t seen anything but I completely agree with this.
You can take ID and if you don’t have any (not that many) then you can apply for their form.

I hate hate hate when you just rock up and say a name they don’t even ask for your address and read it to you! At least ask me for that!

This is an absolute shambles.

Total waste of money for no purpose, just an attempt to stop younga nd poorer people voting.

So many people will be unable to vote and they are rushing it in.

Yes because extra poll centre staff needed to check ID.

Yes, I've seen posts from the local council on facebook about it

It's ridiculous and a way of preventing some of the population from exercising their vote.

It's worth making sure you tell any over 18 children/relatives about this as they are less likely to have photo ID - especially as only an over 60s bus pass/60+ Oyster Card (and not a young person's bus pass/Oyster) is considered valid ID.

And if you've changed your name and the name you're registered to vote under is different to that on your ID, you'll need a document (eg marriage certificate or decree absolute) to prove that. Alternatively you need to register to vote again under the name that is on your ID.

Imagine all the electoral fraud this will combat..... oh wait....

That’s a bugger. I don’t have any photo ID in my married name.

This is definitely my top priority for the millions it is going to cost.

I am so grateful to the government for wasting taxpayers' money and creating extra hassle for all voters

Every one of those major forms of ID, including the 'free' voter ID certificate, costs money, whether it's a high cost, such as a passport, or a lower one, such as a Pensioners' Freedom Pass photo and processing fee.

Just what people need when they might want to exercise their legal right to vote on the basis of their economic situation.

You can change your electoral registration to your maiden name perhaps?

Gee. I wonder why the left counts and the right does not? Why could that possibly be? What a mysterious mystery.

Depends on which name you're registered to vote with - it needs to match the ID.

If they don't match you'll need to take a copy of your marriage certificate to the polling station (or apply for a postal vote).

You can still get a postal vote or apply for a voter id card.

Just to be clear it's not a card. It's a piece of paper and it can't be used as ID for anything else, only voting at a polling station.

I knew.

Watch numbers of voters drop though, particularly in poorer areas which historically already have low turn out.

And I don’t think it’s necessary. Voter fraud in the U.K. is minuscule.

I don't know whether I can be bothered with the faff.

Please try to bother, unless you usually vote Tory - in which case I agree you should not bother

Also worth mentioning you have to show your actual photo ID (and not a picture or photocopy of it.)

How convenient that they bring in an obstacle for voting which is more likely to prevent the less well off from voting, the very demographic who don't vote for them. I can't wait until these absolute wankers are defeated in a landslide. Utter fucking disgrace.

I have 4 gov issues photo ids. I still don't understand how people get stuff done without it

I don’t have any so won’t bother with it then

I’m glad…