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.

Totally. Ballot fraud has never been a problem in this country. Young people have always been those least likely to vote, we shouldn’t be making it harder for them. I really hope this piece of legislation will be repealed by the next government.

To apply for voters ID document if you haven't got photo ID...requires a recent digital photo????

Not prevented

But it's going to be a challenge for councils to register students if there was an October election AND universities used to be able to bulk register new students BUT that rule was changed by the Government

When it finally twigged that it was not about voter ID but about actually registering students, you then went on about a podcast where you said the impact of students was minimal - which was a complete distraction.

Ireland don't seem to require Voter Photo ID

gov - Identification Documents and Polling Information Cards (www.gov.ie)

You do not need a polling information card to vote. However, you may be asked at the polling station to produce identification before you are given a ballot paper If you do not have appropriate identification or the presiding officer is not satisfied that you are the person to whom the identification relates you will not be permitted to vote.

The following documents are acceptable for identification purposes:
(i) a passport (either Passport Book or Passport Card);
(ii) a driving licence;
(iii) an employee identity card containing a photograph; (iv) a student identity card issued by an educational institution and containing a photograph;
(v) a travel document containing name and photograph;
(vi) a Bank or Savings or Credit Union book containing your address in the constituency; (vii) a Public Services Card;

OR
any of the following items accompanied by a further document which establishes the address of the holder in the constituency - (viii) a cheque book; (ix) a cheque card; (x) a credit card; (xi) a birth certificate; (xii) a marriage certificate.

Exactly.

There is more fraud in postal voting, and this measure is likely to push more people towards that.

What could possibly go wring. Our postal service is thoroughly reliable, and of course no-one is controlled at home.

Oh, wait..... remind me what the aim of this was, and why nudging voters towards the system more open to fraud is somehow a good thing?

This is sheer governmental incompetence - bad policy, poorly executed.

There’s enough info about how to get free voter ID if you don’t have it.
Personally I’ve seen masses of ads. And the deadline for applying is 24th April, for the 2nd May election.

No doubt we’ll be bombarded with such info well before a general election.

But in any case, IMO it’s high time we all had ID cards anyway - for many reasons other than elections.

People have plenty of photo ID on them which is not on the list but is accepted to pick up a parcel

Parcel Collection | Local Collection Services | Post Office®

If you have your voting card and a student card / work ID, then why shouldn't you be able to vote in person?

I mean you've had plenty of time to do this thread so maybe you could have helped these people you know who are not capable apply for the id?

And a lot of money was spent on it before the decision to scrap it, total waste of money (friend of mine worked on the project)

It’s the cost more than anything. My mum wants to put her ballot in an actual box but she has now got to pay to renew a passport she no longer uses. She can afford to do that, many pensioners can’t.

I honestly can’t believe how blasé people are about a flagrant attack on democracy. It’s incredibly depressing.

Why shouldn't a Student ID card be acceptable?
Or a railcard?

Id cards would be pointlessly expensive. They are only advocated by people who have given zero thought to the issues.

Why doesn’t she apply for free voter ID? She doesn’t need to renew her passport for the purpose.

It's ok because the Government have said that:

• an older person’s bus pass
• a disabled person’s bus pass
• an Oyster 60+ card
• a Freedom Pass
• a Scottish National Entitlement Card (NEC)
• a 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
• a Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
• a Northern Ireland concessionary travel pass

Are acceptable - but not student ID, railcards etc

It's almost as if they are trying to make sure that older people can use more ID than other people. For some reason.

A bus pass covers it as well. Most pensioners have those.

I don't live in London. Is the process and requirements to get both the same?

The people most likely not to use the internet are old and they can use their bus pass, mine was done for me at the local library and I was told then I could use it to vote

They work very well in many other countries. I wouldn’t agree with having to carry them at all times, though.

Rees- Mogg on voter ID

Local elections 2023: Voter ID backfired on Tories, says Rees-Mogg - BBC News

Jacob Rees-Mogg has suggested the Conservatives introduced voter ID to boost their election chances, but it came "back to bite them".
The former minister said it had "made it hard for our own voters" to take part in England's local elections.
The polls on 4 May were the first in Britain where people had to show photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence, to vote.
Mr Rees-Mogg said the change had "upset a system that worked perfectly well."
Downing Street denied the government had brought in voter ID to gain an electoral advantage, saying it was a measure aimed at tackling voter fraud.

Speaking at a conference for Conservatives in London, he accused Labour of "gerrymandering" - fixing rules to gain electoral advantage - by potentially extending voting rights to some EU citizens if they enter government.

He told delegates Labour's idea was "particularly silly," adding: "Parties that try and gerrymander end up finding that their clever scheme comes back to bite them, as dare I say we found by insisting on voter ID for elections

"We found the people who didn't have ID were elderly and they by and large voted Conservative, so we made it hard for our own voters and we upset a system that worked perfectly well.

"It was done on trust, and the system worked. If there's any problem in our system, it's with postal votes, which don't require voter ID."

Blunkett was (and remains) badly misguided on this. ID cards were opposed by Labour when the Tories (in opposition) proposed them. They are only proposed by snake oil salespeople from industry and branches of the civil service to solve a "problem" that doesn't exist.
Blunkett was on the radio yesterday making all sorts of ridiculous claims for what ID cards would do (like stop illegal working) - like he did at the time when he said they'd prevent terrorism. None of these claims bears even the most casual examination. ID cards are a dim-witted response by people incapable of thinking simple things through.

And the people most likely not to vote are young and it’s just been made a whole lot harder for them to do so.

I hope that an incoming Labour Government do look at the voting system - and then the Tories will realise that "two can play at that game" - voting rights could be extended in this country, especially to younger people, and a change such as PR could be brought in.

The pensioners will have their bus pass

Anyone would think they were trying to make it easier for older people whilst not giving a fuck about younger people.