Over a million voters risk not having voter ID on election day under the Conservatives’ Elections Act

Over a Million Voters Risk not Having Voter ID on Election Day in ‘Completely Unacceptable Situation’



by marketrent

12 comments

  1. *Over a million voters risk not having an accepted form of ID when they come to vote next Thursday, with only 57,000 applications being made for Voter Authority Certificates [since the election was called on 22 May].*

    *The Electoral Reform Society (ERS) has raised concerns about the ID issue, citing the problems experienced by voters at the 2023 local elections – at least 14,000 people were prevented from casting their vote – and at this year’s local elections.*

    *This General Election is the first to require voter ID, introduced in 2022 under the Conservatives’ Elections Act, leading to fears that hundreds of thousands of voters are going to be turned away.*

    *Almost two million voters are estimated not to have an accepted form of ID. A survey earlier this month by pollsters WeThink found 44% of adults in Britain believe that presenting a polling card alone would be sufficient to cast their vote under the UK’s new voter ID rules.*

    *[ERS chief executive] Hughes said the number of VAC applications is “dwarfed by the number of people thought not to possess any of the accepted forms of ID, which means over a million voters risk being locked out of participating in the general election.”*

    *The deadline for VAC applications was 5pm on 26 June. The official figures also show that there have been 214,051 applications for VACs since January 2023, when they were introduced.*

    *Byline Times has heard first-hand about the problems facing voters this election through our VoteWatch election survey. Dozens of Brits have detailed issues obtaining ID with some unaware free ID is available.*

  2. As is the intention.

    Voter suppression. Nothing more.

  3. Aren’t most of these people going to end up being Tory/Reform voters?

  4. I’ve just voted for the first time in my life and had to do so via postal ballot to get around this bullshit, as photo ID isn’t required when voting by post.

    A lot of people won’t know you can do this. A lot of people won’t be aware of the photo ID rules at all.

  5. I’d like to say how the fuck can people still not be aware of this, but then remembered our esteemed former prime minister forgot his ID last time he tried to vote.

  6. I’m not sure we’ll get this, but would be interesting to see on election day the numbers turned away because lack of ID and then the subsequent numbers that return and vote with valid ID.

    Would like to see this repealed by Labour, but don’t think they’ve been questioned on it.

  7. Just apply to vote by mail, Ive done it for over a decade, its so easy, my vote has already gone out

  8. We don’t know this though do we. Maybe the voters who don’t have ID and can’t be bothered to get a free one probably aren’t fussed about voting. They are people not voting with no ID.

  10. You need one of the many widely accepted forms of ID with you when you vote. If you drive to your polling station, you should already have your driving licence. If you go on foot and are not the Hardest Geezer, then it’s safe to assume that your polling station is within walking distance to your home. If you turn up without ID they don’t rip up your ballot paper and tell you to fuck merrily off until next time. So, if the worst happens and you forget one of the many types of ID that you will have at some point been issued in this country, then you will have to walk back home, get it, walk back and then vote. And if you’re one of the less than 50% of eligible voters who intends to vote in the first place, then it’s likely that you’ll be aware of, and will conform to, the requirements.

    If you think that black or Asian non-natives that have managed to do everything required of them to attain citizenship in this country but can’t manage to get a form of ID that is no more difficult to obtain than a Tesco Clubcard, then I really think you are telling on yourself.

  11. Did some redditor tell everyone else on the site voter id is bad or something?

    It’s just common sense that photo id should be required, if you can’t make it through airport security without a photo of your face you shouldn’t be able to vote without one either.

    Also voter id is disproportionately affecting the elderly so why would the conservatives introduce “voter suppression” on their own demographics?

  12. If you’re under 60, you have to have a drivers licence or a passport.

    If you’re over 60, you can use any ID from the veritable cornucopia of free IDs the government has bestowed on you.

    It can’t be legal that it’s so much easier for someone over 60 to vote.

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