Women turned away from polling station on 2nd May

[Cattenberg]

… because their photo ID had a different surname to the name on the electoral register.

One woman I met was registered in her married name, but her ID was in her maiden name. For another, it was the other way around. Neither were able to vote, although unsurprisingly, their husbands had no trouble voting. One husband got a bit upset on his wife’s behalf, but there was nothing the Poll Clerks could do.

I hadn’t realised that the voter ID rules could disadvantage more women than men. And it might not just affect women who married recently - one of my friends kept her passport in her maiden name for about eight years after becoming Mrs Jones, because she thought renewing her passport early would have been a waste of money.

I thought I’d share this in the hope that this doesn’t happen to any of you.

https://www.gov.uk/how-to-vote/photo-id-youll-need

Gosh that’s actually a really good point. In Scotland so didn’t have the recent elections but am registered in married name but I never changed passport/ drivers licence from maiden name (lazy also professional qualifications in maiden name).

You just take your id and marriage certificate problem solved. That's what I did this year and last year and had no problem voting with my id being in another surname.

I know I should care that a law impacts a subgroup more than another, but it’s really, really hard in this case.

women don’t have to change their names. It’s a personal choice.

if they decide to change their names, they need to take on the responsibility of updating all their documentation. It’s not that difficult. if they find the process too onerous, go back to point one.

Can't get worked up about that, what's the point in I'd otherwise?

I run a polling station, the voter ID requirement is actually more lax than you think. The main purpose, all the time, is to enable people to vote rather than to try to prevent them.

So in this case if you have something that 'proves' why the ID is different, for example your marriage certificate and the photo on the ID looks like you, If I'm happy with your explanation then as Presiding Officer I can issue your ballot paper.

Or just get rid of the ID rule asap because voter ID fraud isn't minimal compared to issues like this.

Is it the requirement of ID while voting that's disadvantaging women or is it the patriarchal practice by which women lose their identities and become subsumed into their husbands' family identities that's disadvantaging women?

Is minimal!!!

I don’t think it’s intentionally disadvantaging women.
it’s a clear well advertised rule, that ID must be brought. If women have made the choice to change their name, they should ensure it matches the electoral roll or bring the marriage cert along.

good to raise awareness though

If we have a Labour government voter ID will be history.

Did it not occur to them before polling day? Seems pretty obvious.

Yes. It's not rocket science is it?

I hope that this is not true.

And this.

It is not the government's responsibility to update your shit if you change your name. That's on you.
Same applies if you move house/ change phone number / change e-mail
Pain in the arse maybe, but your responsibility all the same

They nearly stopped GS voting as he is registered at my address, which is where he lives, but his provisional driving licence has his parents address and as he can't afford lessons he hadn't changed it. I think if I hadn't been with him they were going to stop him.

Yet another reason for women to keep their own names.

However as pp say - if you have a copy of your marriage cert with the passport it shouldn't be an issue. Additionally the forms which come around regularly to update the electoral register make the process clear that you need ID reflecting the name on the register or matching evidence.

Seems more like a lack of forward planning to me, if you change your name you have to deal with the admin that involves, same as moving house, if you don't want to do the work don't change your name.

You've been asked to take ID for proof of your identity, why would you take ID with a different name to what's on the electoral roll?

Even in Northern Ireland?

For years my ID was in my maiden name. Any time I needed ID I just took along my marriage certificate, it’s annoying but not hard.

Still disagree with ID to vote though.

You just need to take your marriage certificate with you. Id has to display your name, nothing odd about that