Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To find the fact we can vote without ID fairly worrying?

72 replies

TheDevilWearsPrimark · 06/05/2010 13:43

A few months ago somebody came to our house asking me to confirm the person on the electoral register but also asked if there was anyone else to be added.

In fact years and years ago I added ExH without him being present.

So, for example, in my friends house she could have added the names of the 4 other non British Citizens in the household and surely they would then be on the register?

OP posts:
Original poster
TheDevilWearsPrimark · 06/05/2010 13:59

My polling station does stamp with uv ink, but it's pretty easy to remove

OP posts:
EddieIzzardismyhero · 06/05/2010 13:59

You shouldn't have to go along with your parents at 18 - you're an adult!

Some people don't have their birth certificate, and if they couldn't find it they couldn't vote.

Original poster
TheDevilWearsPrimark · 06/05/2010 14:00

It would at least show you are the named person on the roll, and are a british citizen

OP posts:
EddieIzzardismyhero · 06/05/2010 14:00

Unless it wasn't your birth certificate?

Original poster
TheDevilWearsPrimark · 06/05/2010 14:00

Anyone at 18 who is independent will have at least one form of ID surely...?

OP posts:
toccatanfudge · 06/05/2010 14:02

how could I go with my parents when I was at school 400 miles away? It was in the middle of term. I wanted to vote locally to where I spent most of my time (at school).

And again you DON'T HAVE TO BE A BRITISH CITIZEN

toccatanfudge · 06/05/2010 14:03

and you can be a British Citizen with a foreign birth certificate as well..........

Original poster
TheDevilWearsPrimark · 06/05/2010 14:03

no need to shout...

OP posts:
BlingLoving · 06/05/2010 14:03

Another good reason why ID cards are not in fact some Big Brother conspiracy. DH and I are not english originally and spent a few minutes this morning ensuring we had ID for voting. I have been horrified to discover it's not needed. And now I'm worried that DH shouldn't be allowed to vote - he lives here, pays tax and is resident but is here on an EU passport, not a British passport or visa.

Original poster
TheDevilWearsPrimark · 06/05/2010 14:04

Yes you can..but you'd need a passport to be here...

OP posts:
Itsjustafleshwound · 06/05/2010 14:09

A birth certificate is not proof of ID (it says so at the bottom of the document).

It is daft that I was able to vote in the UK elections from the time I arrived (coming from a country in the Commonwealth).

mollythetortoise · 06/05/2010 14:11

I've done polling before and you have a list of names at each house number on each street and when the voter comes in you look at their polling card or ask their name/address and tick them off list.

The Poller (for want of a better word )then hands you one voting slip.

If you had two people claiming to be the same person that would be flagged up and the second person would not be allowed to vote or if you had the same person trying to vote under two names at same address or different address in same ward, that would be flagged up too as if you were doing that, the poller/s would recognise you and ask why you are voting twice.

If you are determined to fraudulantly vote , I am sure you could but postal / proxy voting is prob the best way of doing it I would imagine, rather than turning up at polling station - it is illegal however and you could get caught (pointing out the obvious!!)

mollythetortoise · 06/05/2010 14:14

just quick addition, I do remember a case where a person turned up to vote and someone had already voted in his/her name.

He/she (the genuine person) was not allowed to vote and the matter was referred to the police.

SecretPollingBooth · 06/05/2010 14:17

would they be physically prevented from leaving?
What if they could prove they were genuinely who they said they were?

mollythetortoise · 06/05/2010 14:42

I imagine the imposter had already been and gone. So the genuine voter was just turned away with reasons why.

Obviously you'd be pretty upset with the situation but you wouldn't be allowed to vote.

The fraud would then be notified to the police by the chap in charge of that particular polling station - can't remember their offical title now

Saltire · 06/05/2010 14:46

Kerry - there is an ID system in place, it's called driving licences and passports. I have neither but apparently it now a legal requirement/law for me to carry them so I can buy alcohol and get my own money fromt eh bank

ActuallyMyNamesMarina · 06/05/2010 14:51

In answer to the OP - YABU, it is not a legal evil necessity to carry ID in this country. You can be required to prove you arebwho you claim to be in specific circs, but apart from that we are at liberty to be identity card free........and long may that remain

Birth certificates prove nothing, all you need is apply for a birth certificate in any name - a reporter did this a while ago and got a birth cert in David Blunketts name.

People will always find ways of committing fraud come what may, sad but true and the more `checks' you put in place the more likely you are to penalise the innocent person.

FleurDelacour · 06/05/2010 15:00

My Filipino friend has been to vote today at the Filipino Embassy here in Singapore (in their election not the UK one).

She has had a finger stained purple and also had to give a finger print. The ink is to stop people voting more than once.

She also had to take ID obviously.

I thought it was an interesting way of doing things.

Kathyjelly · 06/05/2010 15:11

And interestingly, I have two voting cards, one for my new address and one for my old, even though I informed everyone of change of address months ago.

If I was inclined I could drive 80 miles and see if I could vote twice.

But before anyone gets upset, my old address is in one of the safest constituencies in the UK so it would be a wasted drive.

happysmiley · 06/05/2010 15:13

I think YABU. I quite like it, it's a system built on trust and honesty, very British and for the most part it works. Although obviously anyone not brought up here thinks it's total madness.

Haliborange · 06/05/2010 15:37

Bling - I don't think an EU citizen can vote in the general election. My DH is only allowed to vote in local and EU elections over here.

toccatanfudge · 06/05/2010 15:38

but that doesn't mean that your passport is still valid....not sure if you're allowed to use out of date ID are you?

NormalityBites · 06/05/2010 17:12

YABU. I have no ID. Never been on holiday and can't drive a car, I am ineligible due to health issues. Have utilities on card meters and paperless billing. I don't have a copy of my birth certificate because my family is mostly useless. I still somehow manage to be a fully functional member of society with five (count em) bank accounts, a mortgage, life insurance, a will, and I went to vote this afternoon without a problem. I would be outraged if I was prevented from voting due to lack of ID - or effectively charged for the privilege by having to purchase a form of ID - none of the above can be obtained without paying some kind of fee.

Jux · 06/05/2010 17:27

YABVVVVVU

tablefor3 · 06/05/2010 17:28

Normality - did you open your bank accounts (or at least the first ones) a long time ago? Can't think how you'd get through the know your client/anti money laundering stuff now? Council tax book? Something else with your photo on?