[Politics] Voter Identification.

[beorhthelm]

True - but they ought to include other identification as well - student ID, young people's travel cards for instance.

And while they're at it, perhaps the government should legislate what is officially classed as acceptable photo ID, so that all the private organisasions that demand to see our passport or (photo) driving licence - banks, the post office, car dealers, car scrappers, PL football clubs, etc. - would have to accept all the officially acceptable forms too.

they have, in providing the long list of ID acceptable to vote. and in a few years you'll be expected to hold one, and then a National ID will come in to make it all easier

 

[GT49er]

they have, in providing the long list of ID acceptable to vote. and in a few years you'll be expected to hold one, and then a National ID will come in to make it all easier

No they haven't - they've made a list of acceptable ID to vote - but car dealers, banks, PL clubs etc. still won't accept them. That's what I was suggesting they legislate for - I know all about the acceptable forms for voting!

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Went to the local amenity tip this morning too - needed photo ID to get in.

 

[nicko31]

7 accusations of voting fraud at polling stations at the last GE. None upheld.

Estimates of 900,000 to 2,000,000 without suitable ID.

Take up of the new ID 89,502.

(Figures from The Financial Times)


House of Lords pushed for Student ID and young persons railcard to be added to the list, Government rejected it.

I cannot see how this is good for democracy ... But that was never really the point was it?

If the government had agreed to that it would have negated the main reason for ID in the first place, ie to stop young people from voting.

Its funny how an Oyster card is good for a 65 year old but somehow invalid for an 18 year old.

Like the Republicans in the US their base is dying, suppression, gerrymandering and manipulation is all they have left

 

[jcdenton08]

Going round in circles a bit now.

 

[nicko31]

Is that the same French who have to prove ID in order to vote?

The difference is the French all have ID cards, we do not...

 

[jcdenton08]

The difference is the French all have ID cards, we do not...

So you’re pro ID cards?

 

[beorhthelm]

...Estimates of 900,000 to 2,000,000 without suitable ID.

Take up of the new ID 89,502.

(Figures from The Financial Times)

estimates based on research before consulation, before list of accepted ID balloned from driver ID and passport, to 20+ other forms. maybe the consultation worked.

 

[nicko31]

So you’re pro ID cards?

If you need photo ID to vote YES. I don't want to see people disenfranchised, especially the poor

Survation did a poll, 11% of those with income <£20k had no photo ID, compared to 1% to those with incomes >£40k.

The poor don't have cars, the poor don't have passports

 

[BBassic]

So you’re pro ID cards?

I am.

A single ID, issued to everyone. Gets away from the problem of some forms of ID being accepted for some demographics and not for others.

If we're going to be forced to show ID to vote then let's do it properly.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Sorry, but why is this so difficult.

Organise yourself (ID ready), turn up, show ID, quick check, job done.

Just voted - really little difference to the norm.

If that is too difficult then blimey……..

I've just been and the process was far longer than it normally took. Fine for a council election with a low turnout but would be a lot worse at a GE with a big turnout. There are often longer queues in the evenings to get a vote in before polls close and many people doing that will be people who have had to work or care for someone all day. And guess who they will be more likely to vote for.....

 

[Guinness Boy]

So you’re pro ID cards?

Photo ID for voting is ID card by proxy.

 

[hart's shirt]

My friend David lost his ID on the way to the polling station this morning.

I suppose I'll have to call him Dav now.

 

[Bozza]

I'll state again that I've got no strong feeling on this either way. I'm certainly not saying what I'm about to say because I'm banging a drum FOR voter ID, however...

1. Ever since I could first vote, I've always thought it a bit strange that it's possible to just rock up to a polling station, give a name and address, and be allowed to vote. I had always assumed presenting the polling card, at the very least, would be required, so I was surprised to find not even that was required.

2. I don't recall any outrage expressed at all the European nations (which, from a quick search, seems to be most of them) that require voter ID. With hundreds of millions of our fellow citizens having their rights suppressed in such a draconian manner, I'm surprised I don't recall ever reading about it anywhere, including here.

 

[MJsGhost]

Driving around the last few days, the almost total absense of conservative posters in gardens and windows has been very noticable. Even the local farmers who usually take the opportunity to put up loads on the fields bordering major roads don't seem to have bothered.

Agreed - I haven't seen a single one, whereas there are LOADS for the Greens around me. That's the Arlington Ward - very rural and usually dominated by Tory boards and posters (and some LibDem, which TBF are also conspicuous by their absence).

Is it the Conservative party saving funds, knowing they are going to get a kicking no matter what, or are people just too embarrassed to show their support? (or a bit of both?)

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Wasn't voting fraud rife in NI before the introduction of the voting act thing?

Which makes sense. Y'know, introducing a method to tackle an existing problem.

The electoral commission here continually finds little evidence of wide scale voting fraud. I just had a quick read through their pages for the last few years and a large proportion of the fraud cases that were investigated were campaigning frauds, not fraud carried out at the polling booth.

I just don't see the need

Some things should just be above politics. Any changes to the way we vote shouldn't be introduced by the government of the day. We don't have sufficient checks and balances to protect democracy.

The electoral commission or similar body should have complete power to regulate matters of how we vote or change boundaries

 

[kjgood]

So you’re pro ID cards?

Yes, then all the other issues disappear (Apart from fake ID's for underage drinkers) that they all have.

 

[beorhthelm]

I am.

A single ID, issued to everyone. Gets away from the problem of some forms of ID being accepted for some demographics and not for others.

If we're going to be forced to show ID to vote then let's do it properly.

thats the spirit, embrace ID and make it mandatory. its what people far smater than those that brought in voter ID government are banking on.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I'll state again that I've got no strong feeling on this either way. I'm certainly not saying what I'm about to say because I'm banging a drum FOR voter ID, however...

1. Ever since I could first vote, I've always thought it a bit strange that it's possible to just rock up to a polling station, give a name and address, and be allowed to vote. I had always assumed presenting the polling card, at the very least, would be required, so I was surprised to find not even that was required.

2. I don't recall any outrage expressed at all the European nations (which, from a quick search, seems to be most of them) that require voter ID. With hundreds of millions of our fellow citizens having their rights suppressed in such a draconian matter, I'm surprised I don't recall ever reading about it anywhere, including here.

I doubt though that whatever law introduced the need for ID in those countries was introduced by a government with such a shameful record of duplicitous dishonesty as this one. Nor was it accompanied with restrictions which would obviously make it easier for their target demographic to vote than the oppositions target demographic.

The widespread cynicism seen here and elsewhere is entirely justified.

 

[jcdenton08]

And if the Tories get the predicted thumping tonight in the election results? “Well they tried to fix an election and failed!”. If they do better than expected: “it’s all because they fixed the election”.

It’s a nonsense.