Requirements for voter identification brought in by the previous UK Government should be scrapped, Holyrood’s Minister for Parliamentary Business has said.
Jamie Hepburn has highlighted evidence from the Electoral Commission that the new requirements kept potential voters away from the ballot box at the recent UK Parliamentary election, and fears misunderstanding around the need for ID could have a similar impact in Scotland.
In a letter to Rushanara Ali MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government), he asked for the UK Government to consider scrapping voter ID requirements.
‘our research shows that the need for ID discouraged some people from voting‘
Almost everyone who attended a polling station at the July 2024 UK general election was able to vote, according to a new report on the implementation of voter ID from the Electoral Commission.
0.09% of people who tried to vote at a polling station in Scotland, where the requirement was in place nationally for the first time, were unable to do so because they did not present an accepted form of ID.
The data, collected by polling station staff, suggests that around 1,400 people in Scotland were unable to vote in July due to the requirement, equating to about 1 in every 1,100 in-person voters.
Commission research carried out by YouGov found high levels of awareness, with 90% of people in Scotland aware of the requirement following a widespread public information campaign ahead of the election. This was slightly higher than awareness in Wales (89%), England (87%), and Northern Ireland (89%), where the requirement has been in place since 2003.
However, public opinion research carried out for the Commission found that around 5% of people who did not vote at the general election in Scotland said their decision was related to the voter ID requirement, suggesting that the requirement is putting off some people from voting.
The Commission is therefore recommending changes to make it easier for those who do not already have ID to vote. The UK Government should:
Review the list of accepted ID to identify any additional documents that could be added, such as the Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card and the 18+ Student Oyster photocard, in addition to the Veterans card.
Undertake and publish a review of the Voter Authority Certificate and consider whether it could be issued digitally to encourage greater take up.
Enable registered voters who do have accepted ID to make an attestation at their polling station on behalf of someone who does not have accepted ID – known as ‘vouching’.
Andy O’Neill, Head of Electoral Commission Scotland, said:“This was the first time that voters across Scotland were required to show photographic ID to vote at a polling station, and the data shows almost everyone was able to do so successfully. However, our research shows that the need for ID discouraged some people from voting – and we don’t want to see any voters lose their say.
“Public awareness of the need for voter ID is high in Scotland, but there are still groups of voters that are less likely to be aware of the need to show ID or that do not have an accepted form.
“Everyone eligible should have the opportunity to vote, which is why we are recommending changes that will support those who do not currently have ID and improve the accessibility of elections, while maintaining the security of the process.
“The Commission will review how our public campaigns and other work can continue to support the effective implementation of voter ID and minimise the barriers to voting.”
The Commission’s independent analysis, compiling polling station data and public opinion research from across Scotland, found:
0.24% of people who went to vote at a polling station were initially turned away, but two thirds of these people returned later in the day and were able to vote. The remaining 0.09% did not return and did not vote.
90% of people were aware of the voter ID policy, though awareness was lower amongst young people (83%), and people from ethnic minority communities (79%).
57% of people said they were aware they could apply for a Voter Authority Certificate if they did not have an accepted form of ID.
11,356 people applied for a Voter Authority Certificate between January 2023, when the service first launched, and 26 June 2024, the application deadline for the UK general election. Applications were lower than expected with only 7,716 being submitted between the election being called and the deadline. Around 4,552 certificates were used as a form of ID on 4 July.
The evidence suggests that the requirement affected some people more than others. People from lower social grades who did not vote were more likely to say it was because they did not have any accepted ID than those in a higher social grade.
The Commission will continue to monitor which groups are less likely to have access to the required proof of ID and assess how our campaign activity can best reach these groups.
This election could be the most unequal in 60 years, with people on low incomes being shut out of our democracy.
The #VoteYourValues campaign gives our members access to tools that can help people in their communities get vote-ready.
In a democracy, everyone’s voice matters equally.
So it’s completely unjust that so many people on lower incomes get shut out from using their vote. This General Election looks set to be the most unequal for more than six decades, due to a ballooning turnout gap at elections and the growing role of money in British politics, according to a recent report from IPPR.
Elections in the UK could grind to a halt if the government’s plans for voter ID go ahead, the Electoral Reform Society has warned.
Dr Jess Garland told Radio 4’s World at One that close results would be likely to be challenged if mandatory voter ID were rolled out nationally, due to voters being turned away for lacking ID. Continue reading Voter ID risks ‘electoral gridlock’
