‘Scrap Callous Photo ID Scheme’ Campaigners Demand as Report Reveals Scale of Voter Suppression

The Government must scrap mandatory photo voter ID, campaigners have urged, after a report by the Electoral Commission suggested at least 750,000 voters did not vote at the general election because of voter ID rules.

Four per cent of those who did not vote on July 4th said they did so due to the strict voter ID rules introduced by the last Government, according to the official elections watchdog today. 

Findings from the equivalent report by the Electoral Commission in 2023 also showed four per cent of non-voters citing voter ID rules as the reason for not voting.

Campaigners are concerned that there has been little reduction in the scale of voters disenfranchised by the policy since its introduction, which sees those who lack photo ID turned away from the ballot box in UK General Elections, and local elections in England. 

Tom Brake, Director of Unlock Democracy, said: “Once again a report has found that voter ID is doing needless and entirely avoidable damage to our democracy.

“Out of 58 million votes cast across three elections in 2019, there was only one person sentenced to prison for voter fraud.3 I can’t be alone in questioning whether one case of voter fraud justifies spending up to £180 million over a decade when in the process it robs hundreds of thousands of eligible voters of their right to vote.”

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Research produced for the Government in 2021 estimated that two million people in England, Scotland and Wales did not have a valid photo ID, of whom the Electoral Commission estimates 750,000 are eligible to vote.

Only 57,400 applications for the Government’s free paper-based ID – the Voter Authority Certificate – had been made between the election being called and the deadline. 

That’s only a slight improvement on the 52,038 registering for free ID in the same 36-day period before the 2023 local elections. 

This was despite the Electoral Commission spending several million pounds on improving awareness during this year’s election period. Only 26,000 VACs were actually used on election day.

Lib Dem peer Lord Rennard, who strongly opposed the introduction of Photo ID, told Byline Times: “The aim of the new rules requiring very restrictive forms of Photo ID was to reduce the turnout of people less likely to vote Conservative.  

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“The evidence is that 1 in every 25 voters may have been put off voting because of these restrictions. This could have made the difference in many seats…

“The priority now for everyone committed to democratic principles should be to prevent such interference in election rules by a governing party ever occurring again and to restore and take further measures to protect the independence of the Electoral Commission.” The Lib Dems have also called for voter ID to be abolished. 

Lord Rennard claimed that the last Government “deliberately failed to get people legally entitled to vote included on the voting registers.”

“This one must work with all parties to ensure that everyone legally entitled to vote can do so by being included on the electoral registers without unnecessary barriers put in their way,” he said. 

Tom Brake added: “The new Government should cut its losses and scrap this unnecessary, costly and discriminatory policy.”

The Electoral Commission noted that the vast majority of people could vote on July 4th, but is recommending changes to make it easier for those who do not already have ID to vote. 

The Commission is calling for the UK Government to:

• Review the list of accepted ID to identify any additional documents that could be added, such as the Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card and the 18+ Student Oyster photocard, in addition to the Veterans card.
• Conduct and publish a review of the Voter Authority Certificate and consider whether it could be issued digitally to encourage greater take up.
• Enable registered voters who do have accepted ID to make an attestation at their polling station on behalf of someone who does not have accepted ID – known as ‘vouching’.

The Labour Government has said it will review the voter ID policy, though officials have not committed to scrapping it. Labour’s manifesto this year pledged to expand the list of acceptable IDs. 

Vijay Rangarajan, Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission, said: “This was the first time all voters across the UK were required to show photographic ID at a general election, and the data shows almost everyone was able to do so successfully. However, our research shows that the need for ID discouraged some people from voting – and we don’t want to see any voters lose their say.

“Public awareness of the need for voter ID is high across the UK, but there are still groups of voters that are less likely to be aware of the need to show ID or that do not have an accepted form. 

“Everyone eligible should have the opportunity to vote, which is why we are recommending changes that will support those who do not currently have ID and improve the accessibility of elections, while maintaining the security of the process.”

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Josiah Mortimer also writes the On the Ground column, exclusive to the print edition of Byline Times.

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