By D. W. G. Kalani Tharanga, JadeTimes News
Strict Photo ID Rules in Place
For the upcoming general election on July 4, all in person voters will be required to present valid photo identification. Introduced in May 2023, this mandate applies to most elections across England and Wales, including local elections, mayoral elections, London Assembly elections, parliamentary by elections, and police and crime commissioner elections. However, these rules do not apply to elections for the Scottish or Welsh Parliaments or local elections in Scotland or Wales. Voters in Northern Ireland have been required to show photo ID since 2003. Anyone arriving at the polling station without the proper ID will be turned away.
Acceptable Forms of Photo ID
There are 22 types of acceptable photo ID for voters in England, Scotland, and Wales, such as passports, driving licenses, and various travel passes, including the Older Person's and Disabled Person's bus passes and the Oyster 60+ cards. Out of date photo IDs are permissible as long as the voter's appearance matches the photo. In Northern Ireland, nine types of ID are accepted, including passports, driving licenses, and war disablement passes. Voters wearing face coverings will need to briefly remove them for identity verification by polling station staff.
For those without the correct photo ID, there were options to obtain a voter authority certificate, though the deadline for applying for these has passed. Voters in Northern Ireland without the correct ID could apply for an electoral identity card, but this deadline has also passed. In England, Scotland, and Wales, voters who lack valid ID can apply for an emergency proxy vote up until 5:00 PM on polling day.
If a voter arrives at the polling station without valid ID, they will be asked to return with the correct documentation. Disputes over ID rejection can be escalated to the presiding officer or the council's returning officer. The Electoral Commission reports that during the May 2023 local elections in England, approximately 14,000 people were unable to vote due to the new ID rules.
The Rationale Behind Voter ID Rules
The introduction of photo ID requirements aims to prevent voter fraud, despite its rarity in the UK. Between 2019 and 2023, 1,462 cases of alleged electoral fraud were reported, with only 11 involving impersonation at polling stations. Of these, one case resulted in a conviction, another in a caution, and the remaining cases saw no further police action. Despite the low incidence of impersonation, the government believes that photo ID rules are necessary to safeguard electoral integrity. However, the Electoral Commission has urged the government to expand the list of accepted IDs and consider allowing voters to cast their ballot without ID if another registered voter can vouch for their identity.