The introduction of voter ID requirements could pose significant disruptions to the upcoming general elections, warns a think-tank focussed on local government affairs. The next year’s general elections will mark the first instance where it would be mandatory for all voters to produce a valid photo ID for voting.
The government vouches for the new system as a bulwark against possible voter fraud. On the contrary, electoral administrators, surveyed by the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU), ring the alarm bells of being understaffed to enforce the new regulations unless more funding is secured.
Approximately 14,000 individuals couldn’t vote in the local elections in May due to lack of valid ID. However, research from the Electoral Commission paints a more convivial picture, suggesting 90% voter satisfaction with the voting process in the May elections.
The Electoral Commission postulates a higher number as some prospective voters, deterred by the ID requirements at the entrance, might have left the polling stations without voting and hence, unrecorded. It is also observed that ethnic minorities and unemployed voters were more prone to being turned away.
A report rolled out by the commission, set to be released on Wednesday, requests the government to extend the catalogue of ID verification documents in a bid to smoothen the voting process. The government considers the May’s voter-ID rules more of an experiment, still in the process of accumulating wisdom from its shortcomings.
Meanwhile, two reports published on Wednesday point out disturbing concerns. The LGIU report forewarns a setback in the general elections due to staff shortage to verify valid IDs and generate Voter Authority Certificates. To mitigate this, Jonathan Carr-West, CEO of the LGIU advocates for more budget allocation from the center, enabling election administrators to effectively conduct the elections.
“It’s uncertain whether voter ID contributes any positive impact on the process. Moreover, the concerns flagged in our inputs aren’t addressed by this policy,” voiced Carr-West. He also stressed the pivotal role of elections and the need for a ‘secure, inclusive, well-organised’ process that truly reflects public opinion.
The Local Government Association concurs with this perspective, stating that council election teams cannot afford to lean on external help, a practice exercised during the May elections.
The Electoral Commission implores the government to expand the list of accepted ID documents in a separate report and moots the idea for other registered voters vouching for someone without an accepted ID.
Opposing these developments, Labour’s shadow minister for democracy, Florence Eshalomi, put forth, “It is unfair for the Conservatives to undermine the rights of eligible voters to shape their services and society. The government must promptly address these logical suggestions by the Electoral Commission, acknowledging the latent threat to democracy in the upcoming general election if no measures are taken.”
Baroness Scott, elections minister, representing the government asserts, “Our commitment towards making democracy accessible to everyone remains unhindered. We continue to keep tabs on the real-life performance of this policy to identify successes and areas requiring improvement.”
The survey deployed by LGIU involved 171 administrators who worked on delivering the May 2023 local elections. Its findings revealed that nine out of 10 administrators grappled with hiring a sufficient number of polling station staff. Furthermore, 80% of them felt that retaining and recruiting polling station staff was more challenging due to the new rules.
