Since Might 2023, voters throughout the UK have been requested to point out a type of photographic ID at their native poll field.
The requirement attracts on the suggestions of a 2016 report by Lord Pickles, the previous communities secretary, which warned there was a danger of “vital abuse” within the electoral system if folks may vote beneath false pretences with little danger of detection.
As Labour leads within the newest election opinion polls, The Telegraph units out all the pieces you must find out about voting guidelines forward of July 4. Listed below are the suitable types of identification you possibly can carry to the polls.
What are the voter ID necessities?
Everybody wishing to vote within the UK should produce photograph ID to participate in sure elections.
For voters in England, Scotland and Wales, this consists of UK parliamentary elections, by-elections and recall petitions. These in England additionally want their ID for native elections.
The requirement doesn’t apply to Holyrood, Senedd or council elections in Scotland and Wales. Folks in Northern Eire already wanted photograph ID to vote, so the rule change doesn’t have an effect on them.
Voters in each England and Wales additionally want ID for police and crime commissioner elections.
The rule has been utilized in levels, starting with the native elections in England on Might 4, 2023. This 12 months’s normal election would be the first time ID is required for a nationwide ballot.
The change marks a major departure from the earlier system in many of the UK, the place voters solely needed to verbally verify their title and handle.
What sorts of ID are accepted?
Voters are required to point out one type of photograph ID on the polls, and it doesn’t should be in date as long as it’s recognisable because the particular person on the poll field.
Nonetheless, it should be the unique model – not a photocopy – and the title on the ID ought to be the identical because it seems on the electoral register.
Acceptable types of voter ID embody:
- Passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Abroad Territory, an EEA state or a Commonwealth nation (together with an Irish Passport Card)
- Full or provisional driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state
- A Blue Badge
- Any id card bearing the Move (Proof of Age Requirements Scheme) hologram
Any of the next journey passes:
- Older particular person’s bus cross funded by the Authorities
- Disabled particular person’s bus cross funded by the Authorities
- Oyster 60+ card funded by the Authorities
- Freedom cross
- Scottish nationwide entitlement card issued for the aim of concessionary journey (together with a 60+, disabled or beneath 22s bus cross)
- 60 and over Welsh concessionary journey card
- Disabled particular person’s Welsh concessionary journey card
- Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Eire
- Registered blind SmartPass or blind particular person’s SmartPass issued in Northern Eire
- Battle disablement SmartPass issued in Northern Eire
- 60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Eire
- Half fare SmartPass issued in Northern Eire
Any of those government-issued paperwork:
- Biometric immigration doc
- Ministry of Defence Kind 90 (Defence Identification Card)
- Nationwide id card issued by an EEA state
- Electoral id card issued in Northern Eire
- Voter authority certificates
- Nameless elector’s doc
Do the principles apply to postal votes?
No. You do not want to have any type of photograph ID to vote by submit.
Nonetheless, you can be requested to supply your Nationwide Insurance coverage (NI) quantity if you apply to confirm your id. If you’re not ready to do that, you have to to elucidate why.
How can I get a voter ID card?
You possibly can apply for a free voter authority certificates (VAC) both on-line or by submit. To finish a web based utility, you have to a current, digital photograph of your self and your NI quantity.
You possibly can nonetheless apply should you don’t have an NI quantity however you have to to supply various paperwork as proof of id, resembling your beginning certificates, a financial institution assertion or utility invoice.
To use by submit, you have to to fill out and ship a kind to your native electoral registration workplace.
You have to the handle of the place you might be registered to vote, a current photograph of your self and your NI quantity.
Once more, different supporting paperwork are accepted however utilizing these might delay the applying course of.
The electoral registration workplace should obtain your kind by 5pm, six working days earlier than the election you want to vote in.
There’s a totally different kind to finish if you wish to apply by submit and you might be residing overseas, a member of the Armed Forces, a civil servant or a British Council worker.
What if I wouldn’t have a legitimate ID?
Anybody with no type of ID that matches the necessities can apply for a VAC.
This isn’t a substitute to registering for vote, which should be executed upfront of any utility.
Why was voter ID launched?
The goal was to stamp out voter fraud by forcing folks to show their id on the polls.
In his Authorities-commissioned report, Lord Pickles warned that the authorities had been in a “state of denial” and “turning a blind eye” to the issue of electoral fraud.
Why is voter ID so controversial?
The Authorities has mentioned the change is important to curb the “inexcusable potential” for “stealing somebody’s vote” by merely quoting their title and handle on the poll field.
Nonetheless, critics say precise claims of electoral fraud are very uncommon within the UK.
In 2019, the final normal election 12 months, there have been solely 33 allegations of impersonation on the polling station out of greater than 58 million votes forged, based on the Electoral Reform Society.
Opponents of the rule have additionally warned it can make it tougher for sure folks to vote, together with the disabled, transgender and non-binary folks, and black and ethnic minority teams.