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

I don’t lead an organised life clearly compared to everyone else on the thread, but I don’t drive and rarely go abroad. I hate the idea of having to find and dig out my passport to vote which is always squeezed in between work commute and childcare pick ups and drops, the same will go for my elderly parents and anyone with any kind of not very ordered or time pressured or financially pressured life. That’s a lot of the population especially at the moment.
I’d say this also disproportionately discriminates against women who might change their names and have non matching ID and anyone else who has to change their name for whatever reason. Why can older people use transport ID but not younger people?

For those concerned about photo cost etc my DM was told yesterday by our local council that they are setting up hubs for voter ID where they will take your photo (they said on an iPad so presumably free) and process it all for you. Tbf they also said our hub was the local community centre and up and running from yesterday but staff knew nothing about it when DM got there so not sure how efficient it's all going to be! They've booked her an appointment at the council office now while they sort out what's happening with the hub and will apparently do her photo and process it there for her. Hope that alleviates some of the financial concern at least.

@DownNative Of course we should have to carry compulsory ID but we don't...
The Electoral Commission have issues with the speed in which this is being rushed out and wrote to the GOvt about their concerns.

It might be better if all photo IDs were treated equally? why is a bus pass accepted but student ID is not?

I'm not sure quoting the Cabinet Office is a reliable source of information....

Fucking Tory idiots, dishonest to the core, morally bankrupt and only concerned with staying in power at whatever cost.

At a time like this, country literally grinding to a halt on multiple fronts, who in their right mind can defend throwing a whole load of time, effort and money at a PROBLEM THAT DOESN’T EXIST🤬

They should be ashamed of themselves. That involves having some sense of morals though, so we’re screwed on that front as they have none.

If you request to vote by post would you need photo id for that?

Surprise surprise.. you do not.. so folk in care homes etc can carry on voting Tory...

And all the Labour voters in tower blocks who seem to vote en masse.

I do wonder if this was well thought out by the Tories. I've realised, thanks to this thread, that the 18-30 age range (challenge 25) are the most likely to have official over 18 id on them at all times as they are the most incentivised.

My mother doesn't carry any id on her. She wouldn't be up to a two visit trip to the poll booth either

Most, if not all, here are objecting NOT to any speed of rollout. They're objecting to the requirement to provide voter ID on the grounds of disenfranchisement of the poor which isn't a sound argument at all.

For those who need it, ID cards will be provided free. If the people in the poorest part of the UK (Northern Ireland) can take to ID before voting, there is absolutely no reason why those in the richer parts of the UK in comparison cannot do so.

It is the Cabinet Office who will have access to numbers of people with access to various forms of ID. Nothing wrong with them as a source, really. Fact is, the vast majority of people already meet the requirements. Some don't and are eligible for free ID cards. Less than 2 million people don't meet ID requirements. Vast majority do.

If anyone can't be arsed applying, they will be self-excluding themselves from voting. Not the other way round.

About time the requirement for ID to vote was extended to GB. After all, it wouldn't be the first thing that started in Northern Ireland and was extended to GB - devolution is another. But that's another story.

About time the UK joined the long list of countries who require voter ID.

I think it's ridiculous that you still have to vote in person. Surely it's not beyond current technology to have secure online voting, at least as an alternative for now, and gradually phase out in person voting.

For anyone who is uncertain about how to apply for voter I'd, doesn't use internet etc, apparently libraries are helping people to apply for them.

About time the UK joined the long list of countries who require voter ID

As i said earlier, these are countries which also have compulsory ID... we do not.

I would prefer to this change over a longer period of time and not in the next GE & the list of acceptable ID's needs updating too.

And all the Labour voters in tower blocks who seem to vote en masse

Lol! People in tower blocks are far less likely to vote at all and given the collapse of the Labour vote in the midlands etc... its far more likely they would be Tory voters now.

I do think though that it may well harm the Con vote more than the Labour one.... unintended consequences an all that...

Register for postal vote

Uk has long had compulsory ID for certain things, e.g. Think 25 when buying age restricted items, driving and so on.

Northern Ireland doesn't require you to carry ID everywhere you go either. I don't and have never had to produce any ID on the Belfast-Cairnryan ferry route.

That argument doesn't stick. 98% of people in GB already have at least ONE of the approved sources of ID. Do what people in Northern Ireland do - take your ID with you when you go to vote. Not a major problem. 🤷‍♂️

Those who don't will get theirs free along with assistance if required.

Great to hear this

Decided to apply for it this afternoon and thought it would take ages. Probably took less than two minutes. Only needed to have my NI Number and a photo off my phone before starting. It did say it could take a month to process so if anybody is procrastinating I strongly suggest they don't if they want it for May this year.

My only "ummm" moment is seeing the blue badge listed as acceptable ID. What happens if you need to leave that in the car while you go in to vote??

You use one of the other forms of acceptable ID.

Online voting is considered at risk from overseas influence.

Paper voting is much more protected.

How will this impact postal voting?

www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/postal-voters-won-t-need-id-to-vote-in-elections-when-law-changes/ar-AA16tTo9

Which is ironic given in the very small number of cases where there has been proven vote rigging, it involved postal votes.

But this measure is not about electoral integrity. It is about deliberate voter suppression.

I was aware of this, but thanks OP for providing the links for everyone.

If the government was doing this and tackling voter fraud for genuine reasons, not the hidden one of trying to make it difficult for young people who are less likely to vote Tory, then alongside this Lufter Rahman would never be allowed to hold public office ever again.

How are homeless people supposed to vote?

There's a special process to allow homeless people to vote. You do something called a Declaration of Local Connection.
I assume it's not often used but it is possible.
www.crisis.org.uk/get-help/information-for-crisis-members/member-news/how-to-register-to-vote-if-you-re-homeless/

Voter suppression, my arse! That has NOT been the case in Northern Ireland one bit where ID has been required since 1985 in order to vote.

Change the record.

Voter ID is coming to GB, will be free for those who need it and will increase confidence in the electoral system.

Applying for ID is not difficult and those who refuse to will be disenfranchising themselves - not the government or the system.

Characteristically hysterical comment from you.

Some great posts by @DownNative

Why are people still trying to make a link between young people and people not having ID, when the under 30s are the most likely to be carrying ID on them out of any age group ?