Photo ID needed to vote

P3N · 2023-02-01T15:14:57+00:00

AIBU to think many people don't know you now need photo ID to vote? I didn't know this and had to apply for a "Voter Authority certificate" as my photo ID was no longer valid and they need photo ID only. I applied online using a digital photo and my NI number. Is this widely known?

Original poster

P3N · 01/02/2023 15:16

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

OP posts:

ofwarren · 01/02/2023 15:16

You can use an out of date passport can't you?

CeeceeBloomingdale · 01/02/2023 15:17

It has been in the press a good few times and prime time tv adverts advise it. They will accept a huge number of IDs and there is an alternative if you still don’t have anything that meets the criteria. www.gov.uk/how-to-vote/photo-id-youll-need

Seeline · 01/02/2023 15:17

You can use an out of date passport or driving licence etc as long as you still look like your photo.

fairgame84 · 01/02/2023 15:18

I saw an advert on TV about it over the weekend.
I would assume they will put it on voting cards as well?

Original poster

P3N · 01/02/2023 15:19

Out of date photo ID
You can still use your photo ID if it's out of date, as long as it looks like you.

The name on your ID should be the same name you used to register to vote.

**

OP posts:

FuckabethFuckor · 01/02/2023 15:28

I don't like this. Weren't there only about 30 allegations of voter fraud at the last election, across the entire country? Out of almost 60 million votes cast. It feels like an unnecessary additional bureaucracy.

I also worry that it'll suppress turnout, and disproportionately impact people who vote at busy times — which will include a lot of working parents. The queues to vote are long enough as it is pre-9am and after 6pm; add in the requirement for the (already hard-working and pretty stressed) volunteers behind the desks to check voter ID too, it'll create huge backlogs of people.

Not to mention the negative impact it will have on the (roughly) 6% of the UK population who either have no photo ID, or no recognisable photo ID.

FuckabethFuckor · 01/02/2023 15:29

*elections, not election

CeeceeBloomingdale · 01/02/2023 21:45

People can register for postal votes if it's too time consuming to queue.

Xenia · 01/02/2023 21:48

Tower Hamlets alone is reason to have made this change www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/assembly/electoral-fraud-in-tower-hamlets-could-it-happen

Espanolespie · 01/02/2023 21:50

FuckabethFuckor · 01/02/2023 15:28

I don't like this. Weren't there only about 30 allegations of voter fraud at the last election, across the entire country? Out of almost 60 million votes cast. It feels like an unnecessary additional bureaucracy.

I also worry that it'll suppress turnout, and disproportionately impact people who vote at busy times — which will include a lot of working parents. The queues to vote are long enough as it is pre-9am and after 6pm; add in the requirement for the (already hard-working and pretty stressed) volunteers behind the desks to check voter ID too, it'll create huge backlogs of people.

Not to mention the negative impact it will have on the (roughly) 6% of the UK population who either have no photo ID, or no recognisable photo ID.

But in order for there to be allegation of voter fraud someone would actually have to be aware of someone doing it and have some kind or proof? I could have just turned up twice and said I was a completely different person who I knew wasn’t going to be voting/incapacitated etc and who the hell would ever know..

blubberyboo · 01/02/2023 21:53

FuckabethFuckor · 01/02/2023 15:28

I don't like this. Weren't there only about 30 allegations of voter fraud at the last election, across the entire country? Out of almost 60 million votes cast. It feels like an unnecessary additional bureaucracy.

I also worry that it'll suppress turnout, and disproportionately impact people who vote at busy times — which will include a lot of working parents. The queues to vote are long enough as it is pre-9am and after 6pm; add in the requirement for the (already hard-working and pretty stressed) volunteers behind the desks to check voter ID too, it'll create huge backlogs of people.

Not to mention the negative impact it will have on the (roughly) 6% of the UK population who either have no photo ID, or no recognisable photo ID.

30 fraudulent votes is 30 too many plus the ones that were never discovered.

Northern Ireland has been doing this since the 80s with no impact on turnout and no impact on queues. It takes seconds to check the ID against the register

Original poster

P3N · 02/02/2023 17:55

I get the need for photo ID. What I don't understand is the lack of awareness....I haven't seen anything other than one fb advert that was enough to get me to check.

OP posts:

Murdoch1949 · 02/02/2023 17:59

Just vote by post if you have no photo ID. I've got 2 forms of photo ID but the postal vote is so convenient, no problems if you're on holiday or unwell on Election Day.

SnowAndFrostOutside · 02/02/2023 18:00

I’m totally in favour of voter ID. Do you want anyone to turn up at the bank and say they are you and the bank should accept it? We should be verifying voter’s identity for sure.

Bubblebubblebah · 02/02/2023 18:01

Espanolespie · 01/02/2023 21:50

But in order for there to be allegation of voter fraud someone would actually have to be aware of someone doing it and have some kind or proof? I could have just turned up twice and said I was a completely different person who I knew wasn’t going to be voting/incapacitated etc and who the hell would ever know..

Show quote history

Yeah that's what always baffled me coming from country with National IDs. How is that prevented?

Bubblebubblebah · 02/02/2023 18:02

SnowAndFrostOutside · 02/02/2023 18:00

I’m totally in favour of voter ID. Do you want anyone to turn up at the bank and say they are you and the bank should accept it? We should be verifying voter’s identity for sure.

It's this though what is happening with people who have no ID?

Surplus2requirements · 02/02/2023 18:30

Xenia · 01/02/2023 21:48

Tower Hamlets alone is reason to have made this change www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/assembly/electoral-fraud-in-tower-hamlets-could-it-happen

Tower Hamlets was postal fraud which the new ID rules do nothing to address

discobrain · 02/02/2023 20:44

P3N · 02/02/2023 17:55

I get the need for photo ID. What I don't understand is the lack of awareness....I haven't seen anything other than one fb advert that was enough to get me to check.

It's because they don't want people without photo ID to realise it's an option.

You have to pay for a passport. You have to pay to take your drivers test, and licence. Many folks on little money (the government is targeting benefit recipients with this) can't afford to pay or renew these things, and if they think they won't be able to vote because they haven't got a passport or a driver's licence, they might default to thinking they won't be able to vote, and not look further into their options.

The government hates poor people, and the less of us that vote, the better in their eyes.

Greenshake · 02/02/2023 21:07

SnowAndFrostOutside · 02/02/2023 18:00

I’m totally in favour of voter ID. Do you want anyone to turn up at the bank and say they are you and the bank should accept it? We should be verifying voter’s identity for sure.

I agree, but I got absolutely demolished on our local FB group for saying so 🤨

VanillaImpulse · 02/02/2023 21:31

I'm in favour of it. I turned up to vote one year and they said I already had which I blatantly hadn't. Either they crossed off the name by mistake or some fucker who knew my name and address used mine. It's a laughable system and definitely in need of change.