After the government introduced voter ID rules, one Tory MP yesterday found himself without an acceptable form of ID

Today will see voters across England and Wales head to the polls to elect 10 metro mayors, several thousand local councillors, 37 police and crime commissioners, and all 25 members of the London Assembly.

The stakes are high for Rishi Sunak, with the elections viewed as the last major test of public opinion before the general election.

Voters are being reminded that they will need to bring an acceptable form of voter ID to the polls so that they can vote. Looking at the impact of voter ID in the local elections last year, the Electoral Commission found that 14,000 eligible voters were denied their democratic right to cast their ballots on polling day for not having the correct form of ID.

After the government introduced voter ID rules, one Tory MP yesterday found himself without an acceptable form of ID, begging local members in his constituency for help and to act as his ‘emergency proxy’ in today’s local elections.

What are the rules?

Voter ID is now required at by-elections and recall petitions, general elections, local elections and referendums in England, and Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales.

The new ID laws came into effect after the passage of the Elections Act in April 2022, and have already been in place in many local elections and by-elections since being implemented. This year will be the first year they are in place for a London mayoral election – and possibly a general election.

What is considered an acceptable form of ID?

• Passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state, or a Commonwealth country
• A photo driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state (including a provisional driving licence)
• A Blue Badge
• Older Person’s Bus Pass
• Disabled Person’s Bus Pass
• Freedom Pass
• Identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
• Biometric immigration document
• Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
• National identity card issued by an EEA state
• Anonymous Elector’s Document

If you don’t have an acceptable form of ID you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate. It’s free to apply for, and will be accepted at the polling station when you want to vote.

Why are voter ID laws controversial?

Democracy campaigners as well as the Electoral Reform Society have criticised voter ID laws due to the adverse effect they will have, disenfranchising poor and marginalised groups in particular.

There are an estimated two million voters without ID, with the Electoral Commission warning that the laws could have a disproportionate effect on poorer people, those with disabilities and people from minority ethnic backgrounds.

The Electoral Commission’s analysis of the impact of voter ID on May’s local elections last year found that young voters or those from minority ethnic backgrounds were five times as likely as the overall average to say they were unable to vote because they took the wrong ID to a polling station.

The government claims that it introduced voter ID rules in a bid to combat electoral fraud, however critics have said that it will have far more negative consequences and could disenfranchise those from poor and minority backgrounds in particular.

Latest data from the Electoral Commission shows that, between 2018 and 2022, only 11 of the 1,386 alleged cases of electoral fraud resulted in convictions. Meanwhile, House of Commons research has shown that voter ID rules could result in 1.1 million fewer people voting in the next general election.

Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward

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