Photo ID Needed When Voting - 4th May 2023

Hannah_Alumni

As you may or may not know, you now need photo ID when voting in tomorrows local elections. 

Here is all the information from the GOV website;

From 4 May 2023 you’ll need to show photo ID when voting in person in some UK elections or referendums.
You’ll need it to vote in:

• UK Parliament by-elections

• local elections in England (including councils, mayors, the Greater London Authority and parishes)

• recall of MP petitions in England, Scotland and Wales

• Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales

• neighbourhood planning referendums in England

• local authority referendums in England (including Council Tax increase referendums)

There are different rules if you vote in Northern Ireland.

Check if you have accepted photo ID

You’ll need one of the following types of photo ID to vote:

• a UK or Northern Ireland photocard driving licence (full or provisional)

• a driving licence issued by the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Isle of Man or any of the Channel Islands

• a UK passport

• a passport issued by the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or a Commonwealth country

• a PASS card (National Proof of Age Standards Scheme)

• a Blue Badge

• a biometric residence permit (BRP)

• a Defence Identity Card (MOD form 90)

• a national identity card issued by the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

• a Northern Ireland Electoral Identity Card

• a Voter Authority Certificate

• an Anonymous Elector’s Document

You can also use one of the following travel passes as photo ID when you vote:

• an older person’s bus pass

• a disabled person’s bus pass

• an Oyster 60+ card

• a Freedom Pass

• a Scottish National Entitlement Card (NEC)

• a 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card

• a Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card

• a Northern Ireland concessionary travel pass

The photo on your ID must look like you. You can still use your ID even if it has expired.

If you’re voting as someone’s proxy

You’ll need to take your own ID when you go to vote on someone else’s behalf. You do not need to take theirs.

If you’ve changed your name

The name on your ID must match your name on the electoral register. If it does not, you’ll need to either:

• register to vote again with your new details

• take a document with you to vote that proves you’ve changed your name (for example, a marriage certificate)

Small differences do not matter. For example, if your ID says ‘Jim Smith’ instead of ‘James Smith’.

If you do not have accepted photo ID

If you do not have a type of photo ID that allows you to vote, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.

I hope everyone has Photo ID and is able to take part in their local elections tomorrow  

Beaver79

Thank you @Hannah_Scope I did know, but remembering tomorrow is another thing. I will put my voting card and my passport out on the table tonight.

rebel11

@Hannah_Scope

It is 'ridiculous', why change something that doesn't need changing? 

Far easier stamp a 'barcode' on our foreheads (was originally going to write 'backside', but thought better of it).    

bg844

There’s only one place for my voting card- the bin! I must say that my local councillors are some of the most ignorant people I have come across and I never seen them prior to around 3 weeks ago. Roll on the General Election though.

woodbine

A passport can be out of date so long as the photo still looks like you, I would advise all to register for a postal vote for future elections.

66Mustang

I didn't know that @woodbine, thanks for the info.

I agree r.e. postal voting. I have used postal voting since I was 18 and allowed to vote. Much easier and less stressful.

rebel11

bg844 said:

There’s only one place for my voting card- the bin! I must say that my local councillors are some of the most ignorant people I have come across and I never seen them prior to around 3 weeks ago. Roll on the General Election though.

So true, our Councillors are so blatant, 'ignore you when you want help, can't get rid of them when they want your help'. 

durhamjaide2001

I think it's ridiculous how they are asking for photo ID. I  feel like they are just making it harder for disabled people and discriminating against people who can't drive. 

Cartini

durhamjaide2001 said:

I think it's ridiculous how they are asking for photo ID. I  feel like they are just making it harder for disabled people and discriminating against people who can't drive. 

Hi,

I`m sorry, but I don`t see your logic when you say "discriminating against people who can't drive".  Whether you can drive or not doesn`t stop you voting when you have postal votes or "voting by proxy".

Hannah_Alumni

Going off Durhamjaide's comment, it is cheaper to order a provisional license as a form of ID than it is say a passport. So those who are not allowed to drive would have to find another form. Thankfully a PASS card is cheaper than the other two!

I did find it unusual why those in services like Police, NHS...etc couldn't use their work photo ID? The amount of proof to say you are who you are for those ID's to be issued, I'd say would be enough. 

Cartini

That`s not exactly discrimination in the context of voter ID.  If the only options were passport or driving licence then I would tend to agree that it was.

Military ID cards are accepted, so it is unusual (as you say) that ID documents for the police, NHS etc can`t be used.

Hannah_Alumni

I do worry that down the road, those options of Photo ID will slim down over time. It will be one to watch, who knows, if another party comes in, it may be scrapped! 

JessieJ

I'm registered for postal votes, so the ID debacle didn't affect me.

It seems it bit the Cons on the bum though, especially as they brought it in.

rebel11

A lot of people are going to be 'disenfranchised'.

Checking photo ID is going to take time, people 'fumbling' around to find it, forgetting it (they waste time looking for it), etc. The Poll's close at a specific time, the number of people who vote is down as is, this doesn't encourage people to vote, it's another physiological barrier.    

rebel11

Hannah_Scope said:

Going off Durhamjaide's comment, it is cheaper to order a provisional license as a form of ID than it is say a passport. So those who are not allowed to drive would have to find another form. Thankfully a PASS card is cheaper than the other two!

I did find it unusual why those in services like Police, NHS...etc couldn't use their work photo ID? The amount of proof to say you are who you are for those ID's to be issued, I'd say would be enough. 

I wonder if they would accept a 'Wanted' poster?

Clearly Law Enforcement, must have ID's someone to create the 'Wanted' poster.