Sir Eric Pickles has made fifty recommendations to tackle electoral fraud in the UK. The former minister says the changes, including producing ID at polling stations, are necessary to ensure the democratic process is not undermined – but opponents say the moves would discourage poorer people from voting.
Former Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sir Eric Pickles MP, was asked by the Westminster government last year to consider what further changes were needed to make the electoral system more secure. This was particularly in light of the 2015 Tower Hamlets election court judgment that saw the disqualification of the elected mayor for a number of corrupt and illegal practices.
Evidence has been gathered over the last year from local government, the police, academics and election experts.
A series of 50 recommendations are outlined in the report, including:
- clamping down on postal vote ‘harvesting’ by political activists
- piloting some form of identification at polling stations
- action to tackle the links between electoral fraud and immigration fraud
- stronger checks and balances against municipal corruption
Chris Skidmore MP, Minister for the Constitution, said: “I would like to thank Sir Eric Pickles for the work he has undertaken over the past year in producing this detailed and thorough report.
“In order to ensure we have a democracy that works for everyone, the government is determined to ensure that the electoral register is as complete and accurate as possible. The introduction of Individual Electoral Registration has already begun to transform our registration system, increasing its accuracy and performance at the same time as seeing record levels of registration. We intend to continue to build on this success.
“This report will be an important contribution to our fight against all types of fraud in the UK. We will look closely at the recommendations.”
Sir Eric Pickles MP said: “Last year’s court ruling in Tower Hamlets was a wake-up call that state bodies need to do far more to stamp out corruption and restore public confidence. It was local residents who lost out from the crooked politicians who bullied them and wasted their money.
“The law must be applied equally and fairly to everyone. Integration and good community relations are undermined by the failure to uphold the rule of law and ensure fair play.”
The terms of reference for Electoral Fraud Review included:
- examining what steps are necessary to stop voter registration fraud and error, postal voting fraud, impersonation, intimidation, bribery, treating and undue influence
- reviewing the role of councils, the police and the Electoral Commission in deterring, identifying and prosecuting fraud
- considering the recommendations of Richard Mawrey QC in his recent election court judgment on fraud in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
- recommending to government what practical changes are needed to legislation, guidance and practice.
Westminster to trial ID at polling stations
The government has announced a number of measures to combat electoral fraud, including trialling the use of ID in polling stations.
Responding to Sir Eric Pickles’ report ‘Securing the Ballot’ published in August this year, the government will introduce a number of his recommendations to tighten controls around the conduct of polls to eliminate electoral fraud. As well as piloting the use of ID in polling stations across England, the government will seek to:
- prevent the intimidation and undue influence of voters at the hands of activists and supporters
- end the dubious practice of postal vote harvesting, and
- consider measures for nationality checking that will prevent fraudulent voter registrations
The government will consider how to bring a number of these measures into practice including introducing new guidance for Electoral Registration Officers who conduct the polls.
The aim is that pilots for ID in polling stations will be conducted at the local government elections in May 2018. Electors will be required to bring ID to prove who they are before they can vote, preventing anyone fraudulently taking another person’s ballot paper. Local authorities will be invited to apply to trial different types of identification, including forms of photo ID such as driving licenses and passports, or formal correspondence such as a utilities bill to prove their address backed by a signature check. Voters will be asked to produce ID before they can be given their ballot paper. If successful, the measure could be introduced for general elections and other polls. The independent Electoral Commission has long called for the use of ID in polling stations.
Chris Skidmore, Minister for the Constitution said: “The government’s view is that electoral fraud is unacceptable on any level. I want to protect the right of everyone to have their say and participate in our democracy.
“That is why the new measures we are announcing today will protect anyone who is at risk of being bullied, undermined or tricked out of their vote – and their democratic right.
“By eliminating fraud and tackling improper practices, we are ensuring the integrity of our electoral system while building a clear and secure democracy that works for everyone.”
Read the government’s response to Sir Eric Pickles’ report A democracy that works for everyone: a clear and secure democracy.
ID cards at polling stations are currently required in Northern Ireland where electors must bring an electoral ID card. The government will be trialling the use of different forms of ID but has ruled out requiring a new type of photo ID card for elections.
The key recommendations from Sir Eric Pickles’ report that the government will consider how to take forward are:
- piloting the use of photographic and other forms of ID in polling stations
- giving greater powers to electoral officials and the police to deal with intimidation and other unwanted behaviour
- banning the handling of completed postal ballots by political campaigners and limiting it to family members and carers
- that government should consider how nationality checking may be used to prevent false registrations
- offences protecting the secrecy of the ballot to be extended to cover postal votes
- requiring legal proof for requests for a waiver from giving a signature for a postal vote
- requiring electors to re-apply for postal votes every 3 years
- clarifying the detail of electoral offences to make them easier to understand and apply and increase maximum sentences for these offences
- strengthening and improving guidance to those running polls to ensure process is correctly and consistently followed
- revising the process for challenging the outcome of elections to make it clearer and easier to address proven instances of fraud
- considering how the various agencies involved (such as police and local authorities) can work together to prevent and ensure a more consistent and robust response to allegations and instances of fraud
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