https://bylinetimes.com/2024/05/23/vast-majority-of-those-turned-away-over-voter-id-in-local-elections-were-non-white-according-to-polling-station-observers/
Excerpt:
Seven in ten voters turned away due to issues with photo ID during this month’s local and police commissioner elections in England appeared to not be white, according to the first major analysis of the May 2nd voting process.
That compares to just a quarter of the population in England and Wales who are not white, according to the latest 2021 census. The research by the non-partisan group Democracy Volunteers suggests that people from ethnic minorities are far more likely to have faced issues with the voter ID rules – posing serious risks of discrimination in the imminent General Election on July 4th.
One in fifty voters – 2.1% of those observed – overall were turned away for lack of ID, mostly in urban areas, the report out today (May 23rd) has found.
The demographic differences were stark, according to the 150 volunteers who observed 725 polling stations on May 2. Fifteen percent of those excluded were ‘white passing’ men, 26% were ‘non-white passing’ men, 15% were ‘white passing’ women, and 44% ‘non-white passing’ women.
That comes to over two-thirds of those turned away appearing to be from ethnic minority backgrounds, and is a significant rise from the 55% in last May’s elections.
In contrast, observers noted 12 voters were allowed to vote without showing ID; most of whom were ‘white passing’.