Photo ID required if you want to vote in person

[teamsaint]

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..

I think Mr Blunkett is wrong. Most arguments around illegal immigrants are designed to deflect attention from , well, whatever currently needs attention deflecting.

[Pulcinella]

I return to the case that when I went to Canada as a graduate student I was given a Social Insurance card (with a number on) that I carried with me which showed exactly what state benefits I was entitled to. At no point did I feel that this was any infringement or invasion of my privacy, or whatever it is that anti-ID card proponents get so worked up about.

When I vote next month my vote will almost certainly be traceable: the official where I vote will write a unique number on the back of my voting slip and so the way I voted can be traced.

[teamsaint]

I return to the case that when I went to Canada as a graduate student I was given a Social Insurance card (with a number on) that I carried with me which showed exactly what state benefits I was entitled to. At no point did I feel that this was any infringement or invasion of my privacy, or whatever it is that anti-ID card proponents get so worked up about.

When I vote next month my vote will almost certainly be traceable: the official where I vote will write a unique number on the back of my voting slip and so the way I voted can be traced.

I get very worked up about it because the over arching nature of the Digital ID Framework is much farther reaching and potentially intrusive than a simple card that shows, for example , an NI number.
A digital relationship between individual and state is unavoidable now, but it needs to be as limited as is possible. The state cannot take trust as a given, and we should be very wary about changes that cannot be undone.

[LMcD]

I return to the case that when I went to Canada as a graduate student I was given a Social Insurance card (with a number on) that I carried with me which showed exactly what state benefits I was entitled to. At no point did I feel that this was any infringement or invasion of my privacy, or whatever it is that anti-ID card proponents get so worked up about.

When I vote next month my vote will almost certainly be traceable: the official where I vote will write a unique number on the back of my voting slip and so the way I voted can be traced.

A friend of mine doesn't have a driving licence (having never learned to drive), has cashed in her bus pass (the local bus service is hopelessly unreliable, and the council give you up to £100 on tokens that you can use in taxis or volunteer community buses depending on when you surrender your pass), and has an out-of-date passport (she doesn't intend to travel abroad again). She's not sure (and neither am I) how she would be able to prove who she is should she be required to produce photographic evidence of her identity
(More importantly, she can't benefit from the over-60s 10% discount at Iceland on Tuesdays!)

If you don't have any form of acceptable photo ID, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate - assuming, of course, that it doesn't bother you that 'they' then know that you've asked for one.

[Petrushka]

A friend of mine doesn't have a driving licence (having never learned to drive), has cashed in her bus pass (the local bus service is hopelessly unreliable, and the council give you up to £100 on tokens that you can use in taxis or volunteer community buses depending on when you surrender your pass), and has an out-of-date passport (she doesn't intend to travel abroad again). She's not sure (and neither am I) how she would be able to prove who she is should she be required to produce photographic evidence of her identity
(More importantly, she can't benefit from the over-60s 10% discount at Iceland on Tuesdays!)

If you don't have any form of acceptable photo ID, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate - assuming, of course, that it doesn't bother you that 'they' then know that you've asked for one.

My understanding is that an out of date passport is acceptable as long as the photograph is still perfectly recognisable as the holder. The same probably applies to an expired bus pass. The photograph is the important thing in this case; the travel aspect is irrelevant.

Check first but I think this is the case. As I'm going to use an expired passport as voter ID I'll need to check it out for myself.

[oddoneout]

My understanding is that an out of date passport is acceptable as long as the photograph is still perfectly recognisable as the holder. The same probably applies to an expired bus pass. The photograph is the important thing in this case; the travel aspect is irrelevant.

Check first but I think this is the case. As I'm going to use an expired passport as voter ID I'll need to check it out for myself.

From the Electoral Commission link I posted earlier

You can still use your photo ID if it's out of date, as long as it looks like you.
The name on your ID should be the same name you used to register to vote.

[Petrushka]

From the Electoral Commission link I posted earlier

Thanks, yes, I knew I'd seen it somewhere!

[edashtav]

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)

What a sensible and helpful post,. Thank you, gurnemanz.

[oddoneout]

I get very worked up about it because the over arching nature of the Digital ID Framework is much farther reaching and potentially intrusive than a simple card that shows, for example , an NI number.
A digital relationship between individual and state is unavoidable now, but it needs to be as limited as is possible. The state cannot take trust as a given, and we should be very wary about changes that cannot be undone.

When the subject of ID cards first came up I had no problem with it, assuming it would be something along the lines of what was used in Europe. However as it got more and more into the realms of digital tracking/ state surveillance, with all the inherent risks that presented(bearing in mind the long history of national IT project failures, quite apart from any hidden agenda intentions)and the costs went through the roof, the more I became completely anti the UK version.
The closest I come to an ID card is my driving licence, which I find reassuring to keep about my person as health issues begin to pose more of a problem and I have no family anywhere near, as at least it gives a name and address, from which other details can be found, if I can't provide them myself. I suppose for the majority of folk their phone would do the same job - but I don't have the life-support system type of phone...

[LMcD]

When the subject of ID cards first came up I had no problem with it, assuming it would be something along the lines of what was used in Europe. However as it got more and more into the realms of digital tracking/ state surveillance, with all the inherent risks that presented(bearing in mind the long history of national IT project failures, quite apart from any hidden agenda intentions)and the costs went through the roof, the more I became completely anti the UK version.
The closest I come to an ID card is my driving licence, which I find reassuring to keep about my person as health issues begin to pose more of a problem and I have no family anywhere near, as at least it gives a name and address, from which other details can be found, if I can't provide them myself. I suppose for the majority of folk their phone would do the same job - but I don't have the life-support system type of phone...

I guess I'm just relaxed (or misguided) enough not to worry about this sort of thing. I reckon the powers-that-be know exactly as much about me as they think they need to know, and I have no reason to believe that my life has been, is, or will be negatively impacted as a result.

[teamsaint]

I guess I'm just relaxed (or misguided) enough not to worry about this sort of thing. I reckon the powers-that-be know exactly as much about me as they think they need to know, and I have no reason to believe that my life has been, is, or will be negatively impacted as a result.

I agree with you about what the govt know about us. Most of us hand over data daily, and without much thought. But the issue that a lot of people have with digital ID is that its potentially all embracing nature risks handing over a powerful tool ,which could be used in all sorts of ways which could impact an individual negatively. Governments are not always benign. I mean, look at this one. They can and do misuse power, at all levels.

[LMcD]

I agree with you about what the govt know about us. Most of us hand over data daily, and without much thought. But the issue that a lot of people have with digital ID is that its potentially all embracing nature risks handing over a powerful tool ,which could be used in all sorts of ways which could impact an individual negatively. Governments are not always benign. I mean, look at this one. They can and do misuse power, at all levels.

If 'they' require further information I'm sure 'they' have more than one proverbial card up their proverbial sleeve. I doubt if I'm alone in having more pressing personal priorities, but in any case I don't think there's any compelling evidence that citizens of countries where ID cards are required are less free, or less happy, than those who live in No-ID-Land. Riots and protests do occur in what are considered reasonably liberal democratic countries, but I'm not sure whether any are triggered by concerns about ID cards.

[Pulcinella]

Denis MacShane on ID cards in today's Times.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/12144546-2b16-4e3f-9b85-08e66307aeb2?shareToken=f6dfda13a7e145b922ec1a53cc2e0e15

[alywin]

Since we have an election coming up, I thought I'd bump this.

[smittims]

Do we know what the date of polling day is yet? We haven't had our cards. Last time (local council) we had a 'Kafkaesque' (q.v.) experience trying to get into the polling station.