Photo ID to vote is a flagrant cladding attack

[Pireck]

You will need photo ID to vote in the general election this year. This won't be a problem for me personally as I have it, but many of the people where I grew up are too poor to drive or travel abroad. Many people in this country don't have valid photo ID, and they shouldn't have to to shell out a significant amount of money they likely don't have in order to cast their vote. An absolutely flagrant attack on the poor and otherwise deprived.

The title is supposed to read classist, not cladding.

fully agree and the same concerns where mentioned when it was introduced. It’s another barrier to people voting.

You don't need to pay for ID

As @DyddDewiSant and that's same across rest of UK. But you need to apply by 24th april

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

Thank you for sharing this, but by the nature of having an extra task to do before voting day will mean fewer people get to vote. Mosy of the people who don't have time to sort this are the people working 13 hour shifts in care, or are struggling with being evicted from their homes, or have a disability and have no support, etc etc. By having another action to do, many of these people are being left behind.

Postal vote solves that problem.

I disagree with this policy, but would add for information purposes that you can register for a postal vote, as an alternative to getting the ID certificate mentioned by pps.

This doesn’t target the poor it targets the feckless and lazy.

Yes, I'm sort of torn.
On one hand barriers discourage people. But so many already don't bother to vote.
I think those who even bother, are the sort who can and will apply for the correct documents anyway. Those who can't or won't will not even bother showing up at the polling station.

It was brought out last year for local elections. I got mine free. Everyone can get it free, either online or via the council and it's not difficult to get.

OR request a postal vote. Again, not that difficult.

And postal votes not turning up solves the problem of ID-less undesirables being allowed to vote. (Happened to me in 2015, and to people I know during the Brexit referendum.)

The OP is NBU.

You're right. But we know it is discriminatory, which is why it was introduced.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/sep/11/voter-id-in-england-led-to-racial-and-disability-discrimination-report-finds

You need more ID to pick up a parcel from
the post office than to vote so having photo ID is well overdue.
Voting is a privilege OP and currently it is being abused by those gaming the system so I welcome this.
It’s vital that people trust the democratic process.

If people are really intent on voting they will make sure they have ID this has been heavily reported

many will of course use it as an excuse not to bother to vote, I’m willing to bet they didn’t vote in the last election too

Give over.

If people want to vote they will do a postal vote or order the free ID.

You're creating excuses and acting like poor people can't get their shit together.

If you really want to vote and don’t already have photo ID, you can obtain it for free. You can also ask for a postal vote. I’m not seeing the problem.

These feckless and lazy people are the ones nursing your sick relatives in hospital, removing your refuse and picking.your groceries in your supermarkets. They are already overworked and underpaid, and now they have another way their voices are being suppressed. Call them what you like but they make your life comfortable and better and you ignore the fact they will now be less represented in our apparent democracy.
Polling fraud has been investigated before and shown that it is a really insignificant problem. This new rule has come in purely to suppress the voices of the downtrodden.

This. It takes 5 minutes on line, 20 if you don't know your national insurance number.

Has there ever been any evidence of significant voting fraud in this country? The one or two cases I have read about were all related to postal votes. IMO, voting should be as simple and hassle-free as possible.

I suppose it will deter people less likely to vote Tory from voting but you don't need photo id for Postal voting. Incidentally it says on the government website a freedom pass or blue badge also counts as valid id for elections so not everyone will need to buy a passport or driving licence. So e of the poorer already have a freedom pass or blue badge.

I don't know what the problem is.

Haven't you heard of Bus Passes (that have photo
ID) ?

The poor ate less likely to have ID in the first place, and less likely to go through extra motions to obtain it. The new rule is specifically in place to skew the number of people able to vote, towards those who lead wealthier and more comfortable lives.

Again, why are you assuming that all if these people are incapable of getting the free Voter ID?

Because their lives are harder and that makes finding time/ energy to perform extra tasks harder.

This, am really getting tired and bored of those who claim offense for others!