Photo ID required if you want to vote in person

[alywin]

With local elections coming up next month, and a general election who knows when, I thought I'd better point out that everyone who wants to vote in person will need to show photo ID this year. The list is pretty short, so if you don't have anything which qualifies, better ask your Council what alternatives they are providing or apply for a postal vote, but you'll need to be quick!

[Pulcinella]

Universities have already expressed concerns in light of a possible October election:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/mar/23/left-without-a-voice-october-general-election-could-leave-students-in-uk-unable-to-vote

[oddoneout]

More here

https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/voter-id/accepted-forms-photo-id

It's not so likely to be a problem for us older folk as there is a range of photo travel cards considered acceptable, in addition to the likes of passport, driving licence, whereas younger persons photo travel cards aren't.
Worth noting the 24th April deadline for free(depending on whether the photo is free - problems with DIY(eg using a phone camera) can occur) certificates for May local elections.

[smittims]

We had an unpleasant eperience at the first polling day this was required. We found the polling station, thogh not having been in the building before, it wasn't clear which room was used. A large fat young woman holding a coffee mug blocked the doorway, and asked us if we had our 'voter ID'. We showed it to her, but she made no effort to move. Eventiually I was about to sak her if we would be allowed in when she moved just enoiugh for us to squeeze past her. When we got to the right desk they asked us again for our 'voter ID'. As we'd pocketed it I said we had shown it when we arrived , but she said we had to show it to her too.

There were two ballot papers, both large, and nowhere to put my hat and stick while I completed and folded them. As a result I forgot my stick and had to go back for it. As I left one of the women shouted after me 'you were walking all right without it!'

I posted a suggestion on their website that they could do with come custormer care training.

[french frank]

More here

https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/voter-id/accepted-forms-photo-id

It's not so likely to be a problem for us older folk as there is a range of photo travel cards considered acceptable

If I didn't have a permanent postal vote I could use my bus pass - renewed several times, with the photo becoming blurrier and blurrier as they don't require a new photo each time.

[Old Grumpy]

There were two ballot papers, both large, and nowhere to put my hat and stick while I completed and folded them. As a result I forgot my stick and had to go back for it. As I left one of the women shouted after me 'you were walking all right without it!'

I posted a suggestion on their website that they could do with come custormer care training.

Outrageous!

I'm impressed you found a website to post a comment on. I wouldn't know where to look for polling station operatives.

[Pulcinella]

Polling card just arrived for our Mayoral election on 2 May.
The list of accepted forms of photographic identification certainly discriminates against younger voters.
Where is the evidence for voter fraud to an extent that bringing in this requirement is warranted?

[Petrushka]

Where is the evidence for voter fraud to an extent that bringing in this requirement is warranted?

A solution in search of a problem. I don't want to fall foul of political embargoes on the Forum so I'll say more on that.

We only have Police and Crime Commissioner election here so that's not likely to generate much excitement.

[Old Grumpy]

A solution in search of a problem. I don't want to fall foul of political embargoes on the Forum so I'll say more on that.

We only have Police and Crime Commissioner election here so that's not likely to generate much excitement.

I guess you probably meant no more

In regard to voter fraud I found this https://committees.parliament.uk/wri...ce/38405/html/ on the Internet.

[gurnemanz]

I have never understood why we don't have national ID cards, feeling that it would have more advantages than drawbacks relating to privacy issues.

When I was a school teacher organising school exchanges with Germany, we had to go through the rigmarole of getting the participants on a group passport. The Germans just came over on their ID cards, valid for travel throughout the EU.
After Brexit, needing a passport for entry to the UK deters EU visitors. Most school puplis in German do not have a passport and school exchanges with Ireland have become a favoured option. It has been estimated by a large school trip operator in Germany, "that these problems will cause an 80% fall in school trips to the UK" (source).
For similar reasons, many language schools have gone out of business (link)

[oddoneout]

Outrageous!

I'm impressed you found a website to post a comment on. I wouldn't know where to look for polling station operatives.

The local council is the first point of contact I would assume.

[smittims]

Hi, gurnemanz, I hope you will one day understand why we don't have identity cards in the UK. I don't want to start a political row, and I am quite ready to agree to differ, but the reason we don't have them (in my opinion) is that they are very unpopular and unwanted. It's a fatal step towards 'your papers, please; sorry, your papers are not in order; you must come with us...'

It's sometimes said that 'I didn't ask to be born'. Neither did I ask to be born in Britain. So I dont think I should have to prove my right to be who I am, , or to be here.

When they were proposed we were told they would reduce crime and terrorism. This is utterly specious. Criminals don't leave their Identity cards at the scene of a crime, and terrorists always have impeccable papers. The 9/11 hijackers were all legally in the USA and some of them trained as pilots there.

Identity cards would alter fundamentally the relation between the individual and the state. They would open the door to all kinds of oppression. I've noticed for several years how organisations both commercial and official behave as if we have to do what they tell us withoutt question. I was shocked but sadly not surprised to see how easily people surrendered their long and hard-won civil rights and privileges in 2020 at the whim of a government. I'm sure a lot of people in government noticed that too, and filed it away for future use. Identity cards would make it much easier for a government to control us.

[LMcD]

I have never understood why we don't have national ID cards, feeling that it would have more advantages than drawbacks relating to privacy issues.

Their introduction might be considered only if it can be shown to be a vote-winner. Interestingly, Lord Blunkett has suggested that ID cards might prevent illegal immigrants from evading official supervision and disappearing into the black economy..

[Sir Velo]

Hi, gurnemanz, I hope you will one day understand why we don't have identity cards in the UK. I don't want to start a political row, and I am quite ready to agree to differ, but the reason we don't have them (in my opinion) is that they are very unpopular and unwanted. It's a fatal step towards 'your papers, please; sorry, your papers are not in order; you must come with us...'
.

"Individualism makes no appeal to the German voter. He is willing, nay, anxious, to be controlled and regulated in all things. The policeman is to him a religion, and, one feels, will always remain so. In England we regard our man in blue as a harmless necessity. By the average citizen he is employed chiefly as a signpost, though in busy quarters of the town he is considered useful for taking old ladies across the road. Beyond feeling thankful to him for these services, I doubt if we take much thought of him. In Germany, on the other hand, he is worshipped as a little god and loved as a guardian angel. To the German child he is a combination of Santa Clans and the Bogie Man. All good things come from him: Spielplatze to play in, furnished with swings and giant-strides, sand heaps to fight around, swimming baths, and fairs. All misbehaviour is punished by him. It is the hope of every well-meaning German boy and girl to please the police. To be smiled at by a policeman makes it conceited. A German child that has been patted on the head by a policeman is not fit to live with; its self-importance is unbearable.

The German citizen is a soldier, and the policeman is his officer. The policeman directs him where in the street to walk, and how fast to walk. At the end of each bridge stands a policeman to tell the German how to cross it. Were there no policeman there, he would probably sit down and wait till the river had passed by. At the railway station the policeman locks him up in the waiting-room, where he can do no harm to himself. When the proper time arrives, he fetches him out and hands him over to the guard of the train, who is only a policeman in another uniform. The guard tells him where to sit in the train, and when to get out, and sees that he does get out. In Germany you take no responsibility upon yourself whatever. Everything is done for you, and done well. You are not supposed to look after yourself; you are not blamed for being incapable of looking after yourself; it is the duty of the German policeman to look after you. That you may be a helpless idiot does not excuse him should anything happen to you. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing you are in his charge, and he takes care of you--good care of you; there is no denying this.

"You get yourself born," says the German Government to the German citizen, "we do the rest. Indoors and out of doors, in sickness and in health, in pleasure and in work, we will tell you what to do, and we will see to it that you do it. Don't you worry yourself about anything."

And the German doesn't. Where there is no policeman to be found, he wanders about till he comes to a police notice posted on a wall. This he reads; then he goes and does what it says..."

Jerome K Jerome, "Three Men on the Bummel". 1900.

[teamsaint]

Hi, gurnemanz, I hope you will one day understand why we don't have identity cards in the UK. I don't want to start a political row, and I am quite ready to agree to differ, but the reason we don't have them (in my opinion) is that they are very unpopular and unwanted. It's a fatal step towards 'your papers, please; sorry, your papers are not in order; you must come with us...'

It's sometimes said that 'I didn't ask to be born'. Neither did I ask to be born in Britain. So I dont think I should have to prove my right to be who I am, , or to be here.

When they were proposed we were told they would reduce crime and terrorism. This is utterly specious. Criminals don't leave their Identity cards at the scene of a crime, and terrorists always have impeccable papers. The 9/11 hijackers were all legally in the USA and some of them trained as pilots there.

Identity cards would alter fundamentally the relation between the individual and the state. They would open the door to all kinds of oppression. I've noticed for several years how organisations both commercial and official behave as if we have to do what they tell us withoutt question. I was shocked but sadly not surprised to see how easily people surrendered their long and hard-won civil rights and privileges in 2020 at the whim of a government. I'm sure a lot of people in government noticed that too, and filed it away for future use. Identity cards would make it much easier for a government to control us.

Thanks, saved me the trouble of posting near identical thoughts. And in particular the element about the relationship between state and individual.
People who oppose voter photo ID ought, at the very least , also consider the implications of accepting the Digital ID Framework.

Arguments around convenience ( and I understand that these can be significant) don’t begin deal with the potential surrender of freedoms and rights that digital ID may lead to. It is far too important an issue to accept passively, as we see at the voting booth.