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Britain’s official elections watchdog has called for an overhaul of election rules after concerns about people attempting to mislead voters by impersonating real candidates, or providing fake details to get on the ballot paper in this year’s General Election.
In a new report on the handling of July’s election, the Electoral Commission highlighted the case of YouTuber Niko Omilana, who successfully encouraged his followers to stand as candidates, under his own name, in at least 11 constituencies.
At the time it was unclear who the candidates were, or whether they were all the same person.
It comes after similar concerns were raised about so-called ‘invisible’ Reform candidates during the General Election, for whom almost no information could be accessed by voters or even reporters.
Reform UK fielded dozens of super-anonymous candidates in the 2024 General Election – potentially netting the party hundreds of thousands of pounds in extra public cash, or ‘Short money’, and hiking its national spending limits.
There is no suggestion the candidates did not exist, but the affair highlighted the fact that those seeking election do not have to provide ID to apply to stand, while voters do need ID in order to vote. Councils are also unable to conduct checks on whether potential candidates actually exist or are providing accurate information.
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No Checks
Under current election law in the UK, local Returning Officers must accept candidate nominations if only very basic paperwork requirements are met. Election staff have no power to investigate candidates’ true identities or reject potentially misleading nominations.
And candidates do not have to show identification when applying to run, despite voters having to do so at the ballot box.
The Commission says this puts officials “in a difficult position” and risks confusing voters about who they are voting for.
In its new report, the electoral watchdog recommends that candidates should have to provide proof of identity when standing for election – noting that voters currently face stricter ID requirements than those seeking to represent them.
The watchdog also backed previous Law Commission proposals to give Returning Officers explicit powers to reject nominations that appear “designed to confuse or mislead electors”.
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And while the report highlighted that while it is illegal for candidates to stand in multiple constituencies, there is currently no system to easily check if this rule is being broken.
An Electoral Commission spokesperson said the recommendations aim to strengthen the nomination process while maintaining accessibility and protecting the impartiality of election officials.
The report noted: “The requirements and checks for nominating candidates should be strengthened to make it harder for candidates to mislead voters about their true identity.
“Voters must now provide proof of their identity when they register to vote, apply for an absent vote or cast their vote at a polling station – but candidates do not have to provide any proof of identity to be nominated…
“There is currently no mechanism to easily identify whether any candidates have agreed to be nominated in more than one constituency. It may also be necessary to develop a process for collating details of all candidates at a general election, in order to identify whether any have been nominated in more than one constituency.”
Making false statements on nomination papers is a criminal offence, but prosecutions are incredibly rare and councils do not undertake due diligence on whether candidates are real.
Some candidates may legally change their name before standing for election.
Voters now need ID to register, vote by post or in person in UK elections and elections in England. It was already the case in Northern Ireland. PCC elections in Wales also require photo ID.
The Government is expected to respond to the recommendations soon.
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Voter ID Flaws Highlighted
The Government should expand the list of ID accepted at polling stations to reach more young people, according to the same Electoral Commission report.
The official elections watchdog is calling for more forms of photo identification to be accepted when voting, including the Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card and the 18+ Student Oyster photocard, as well as digital forms of ID.
It comes as MPs vote on Wednesday on expanding the list of accepted voter IDs to include the new Veteran’s Card, in a move set to benefit around two million former servicemen and women.
The Labour Government faces calls to further expand the list, after thousands of young people and those on low incomes were turned away and denied a vote in July.
‘Unnacceptable’ Abuse
The watchdog has also found that a majority of election candidates (55%) say they were abused or intimidated during the local or general election campaigns this year, with women and ethnic minorities particularly targeted.
While the official watchdog noted that overall, July’s general election was well run and the vast majority of voters were able to cast their ballot, the intimidation of candidates was a cloud hanging over democracy in the UK – and risks limiting the kind of people who come forward.
Improvements are also needed to address the difficulties that prevented some postal and overseas voters from taking part, according to the analysis by the Electoral Commission.
The report, based on research on the 2024 UK general election and the May local elections, said levels of abuse and intimidation of candidates were “unacceptable.”
A so-called Speaker’s Conference in Parliament has been established to bring together parties across the political divide to tackle the issue of the abuse of candidates.
The elections regulator is also pushing for co-ordinated action by “a range of partners” to urgently tackle candidate abuse and intimidation:
- Police forces and prosecutors should continue to treat allegations and cases of election-related intimidation seriously. Those committing offences against candidates and campaigners should face significant sanction
- Political parties should ensure that membership rules emphasise respect for other campaigners, and take appropriate action to sanction members found to have abused or harassed campaigners
- Social media and online platforms should help develop improved screening tools for candidates’ digital profiles, to remove abusive content and identify perpetrators.
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Further Reforms
Following postal vote chaos in some areas including Scotland, the Electoral Commission has recommended extending the deadline for applications for postal votes, and introducing more voting options for those who do not receive theirs on time.
The arms-length Government organisation also calls for reform for how overseas voters receive ballot papers, with a proposal to test options such as voting in embassies and consulates for Brits abroad. Overseas voters who do not use a ‘proxy’ voter living in the UK instead have to rely on international postal firms.
Vijay Rangarajan, Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission, said: “It is encouraging that UK voters retain high levels of confidence in the electoral system, and the vast majority had a positive experience of voting at the general election. However, that wasn’t the case for everyone, with some postal and overseas voters unable to participate as they should. We will work with Governments and others to improve the system.
“The level of harassment and intimidation faced by candidates is particularly concerning, and requires urgent and coordinated action. Those standing for public office should not be subjected to abuse. It is deterring some people from standing to be candidates, and inhibiting how some engage with voters – both of which risk weakening our robust democratic debate. We’ll work with partners to implement effective solutions.
“There is now a window of opportunity to make these crucial improvements, ahead of the 2026 Welsh and Scottish elections, and a future UK general election.”
The full list of recommendations can be found in the report. Recommendations relating to the implementation of voter ID were already published by the Commission in September.
A Government spokesperson told Byline Times they were “looking at” potentially further extending the list of acceptable forms of voter ID.
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