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, it makes sense and it’s certainly what they do in France

geta postal vote or voter ID card. It’s not difficult

I am amazed how many people are surprised by this. There have been several threads on mumsnet about this over the last few years.

The proposals stem originally from the Tower Hamlets Mayoral Election of 2014 where voter fraud (both in person and postal) was massive, and along with other rule breaking resulted in the whole election being declared void.

Voter ID was trialled in 5 areas in 2018 and in a further 10 in 2019 to test how it worked and what delays and problems may have cropped up, so that the national launch in 2023 used best practice.

It is estimated that 92.5% of the electorate already have suitable ID.

There was no evidence of reduced turnout when the ID requirement was introduced in N. Ireland (although N.I. usually has lower turnout than the rest of UK anyway)

Regarding an ID requirement blocking people from voting, what is the current excuse? In the 2019 General Election, there were 287 constituencies in which turnout was less than two-thirds of the electorate with Hull East being the lowest at 49.3%.

Proven cases of voter fraud are low, but suspected cases are significant. Talk to people who work in polling stations and they will tell of one person turning up with 6 voting cards expecting to be given 6 ballot papers. I have heard of a person handing in a voting card who they were sure had already voted earlier, but there is nothing they could do about it (especially when they voluntarily showed supporting ID for the suspected second vote). They may have observed a "leader" of some sort directing "followers" exactly where to put their crosses. They may have seen cases of people voting with an apparently legitimate polling card who they suspect lives in a neighbouring borough and may also have voted there.

The rules for postal votes are also due to be tightened, but it was left out of this Voter ID legislation - it may come later. Proposals include needing to re-apply every 3 years for a postal vote, tightening up ID checks, introducing online applications, and much tighter restrictions on who can hand in postal votes at polling stations (where it is too late to post the ballot paper).

Although people without ID will not be allowed to vote, I have yet to hear what will happen if the ID presented is "questionable". In some countries the person is allowed to vote but their vote is "quarantined" and put to one side when the other votes are counted. If the number of quarantined votes is less than the majority, then they are discarded.

Yes, I knew this because I've needed ID every single time I've voted (in Ireland and NI).

I did know, but only because I've seen it on here. Which reminded me that I need to apply for a voter ID. So thank you.

But. It would appear I can upload my photo to the government application thing without any kind of verification. So there's still a (very small) chance of fraud isn't there?

You really do have to question why a few vocal lefties are bleating about this. Why don’t they want a more secure, less corruptible voting system? Could it be that they know perfectly well that voter fraud and patriarchal repression of vulnerable women voters is endemic in some inner-city communities which vote for Labour MPs, and that a blind eye has always been turned to this?

Did I know ? Yes. Because it is all over the radio every time I turn it on, including the information about what you can do to get a free ID, if you don't have any.

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.

Hardly. It is the young people who don't leave the house without ID, in a way we never used to. They are totally used to not being able to buy cold medicine, plastic knives, matches, be standing next to someone who is buying a bottle of alcohol, paracetamol, go to the pictures and 101 other things without ID. If you stop random people my age in the street, we might not have ID on us, but if you stop random 18 - 28 yr olds, I bet the overwhelming majority will have ID on them.

The main reasons many people won’t have heard about voter ID being needed from May is because the particular legislation for it was only finalised and passed just before Christmas, and the new voter authority certificate application only launched today.

If you have elections in May - not all areas do - your council should be sending out plenty of local info about if from now, alongside the Electoral Commission campaign.

The one demographic that has valid ID across the social classes is 18- 25 as they need it in pubs/ clubs/ supermarkets all the time. Non driving 50-60 year olds far less likely unless they have a passport.

That's very true. I was thinking about telling my children and realised they carry id at all times anyway!

I didn't know about this. I do have a driving licence fortunately.

My elderly parents don’t have ID and if I offered to help them with the form and a photo I know they would say, don’t bother, they won’t vote as they can’t cope with any extra hassle in life whatsoever.

About bloody time. Never understood how we could vote without

I've just googled and there is not one other country in Europe where you can vote without showing photo ID. I have no idea why people get so worked up about this.

It actually says on the polling card that you DON’T need it to vote!

No you don't. The voting card specifically says on the back "you don't actually need to bring this card with you". You just turn up and say your name.

I have actually turned up once to find my vote had apparently already been used, and had to go through a whole additional process . Probably just the staff crossing off the wrong name though, I don't think my area is a hotbed of vote fraud.

The one area where we do have a potential problem is postal votes, which this doesn't address.

You might have a point, except that it's not in person voting which is a problem. ID does nothing to address the problem with postal votes.

For those that object, the electoral reform society has a petition against this:

action.electoral-reform.org.uk/page/35710/petition/1?locale=en-GB

What would be good would be to engage people in the democratic process.

Turnout last election was 67%

So a 1/3 of people don't vote. And that turnout varies across the social spectrum and the age range as well.

Voter fraud isn't an issue. It's the lack of voter engagement that is an issue. Why do a 1/3 of people not vote.

There will be a lot of people in your position.

How many poor families, who are already struggling to pay for the very basics, will be in a position to pay £7 for a card that will enable them to vote?

Lack of photo ID is a real problem for the poor and marginalised, now many of them will be disenfranchised as well.

Aren't most of those countries one where there is a requirement to carry ID anyway?

If so, it's completely different. They will already have what they need.

Here, there is no such requirement, and plenty of people don't drive and don't travel abroad, so have to go through all the palaver and expense of getting ID for the purpose.

It is the poorest and most vulnerable who are likely not to have ID, and they will be disenfranchised.

Some local organisations that work with homeless people are helping them to get ID, and have set aside funding for the purpose.

Absolute rubbish!

Since 1985, photo ID has been compulsory in Northern Ireland if people want to vote. Nobody is disenfranchised by this as its also free to those on low incomes as well. Its also increased confidence in the electoral system.

There is no real problem to requiring people to show ID ahead of voting. It'll be free anyhow for the poorest.

I'm 52 and I didn't know this. I have no photo id, due to disability I can't drive and don't go abroad so have no passport. I am autistic and will need support to apply for a certificate to vote. This will stop people like me or with mental health problems , homeless etc from voting.

‘We have published research that shows that 98% of electors already own a photographic document that is on the broad list of acceptable types of identification, and the 2% that currently do not, would not equate to two million.

’Local authorities will be required, by law, to provide anyone without one of the wide range of accepted documents with a free, local Voter Card.’

• Cabinet Office

So, 98% of electors already have at least one acceptable form of ID. Those who don't are less than 2 million people AND are able to get FREE local Voter Cards.

This isn't disenfranchisement. If some don't want to apply for their free card, that's their personal decision. But nothing is really stopping them.

Quite a few countries require ID. The UK should join them.

The information on how to get valid I’d is out there and has been out there for some time.
Being poor does not equal being stupid.
People receiving benefits will have had to fill out a lot of forms, completed paperwork or had social services/advocacy services help them with it.
The people who cannot be bovvahed whether old, young, intelligent or stupid cannot be bothered to make the effort, and probably cannot be bothered for whom they vote, and consequently who governs them.

Sure they do but some of that ID is not suitable for voting....