Britons will have to show photo ID to vote in future general elections

And about time too !
Announced in the Queens speech today (written by the government not the Queen) are two changes to the electoral rules that have been needed for quite some time , the first is the need for photo ID before you can cast your ballot and the second is a limit on the number of postal votes that can be handed in , I guess by one person.

A requirement that all voters carry photo ID could impede people who wish to turn up at polling stations without planning ahead, given about a quarter of voters – often younger voters – do not have either a passport or driving licence, critics say.

The government has previously said people would be able to apply for a voting ID card from their local council, although this would have to be done before polling day. Early trials in some areas led to hundreds of voters being turned away.

The voting reforms, which will also include a limit on the number of postal votes that can be handed in on behalf of others, are being justified by ministers as a way to reduce the risk of electoral fraud.
www.theguardian.com...

Of course some will complain about disenfranchisement but I think electoral integrity is more important than making it easy for those who can't be bothered to show they have the right to vote.

Another good step by Boris .

a reply to: gortex
Very, very bad move. It sounds lovely "voting integrity" but what they are really asking for is an identity card. The next step is by law you must always carry your identity card. Can you see where this can lead. And don't give me the old chestnut of "if you've done nothing wrong, you've got nothing to fear".

I get the drivers license thing, lots of young city peeps dont drive. But one could use their NI number possibly or a library card.
If one really wanted to vote, they wouldn't mind a bit of inconvenience.

And the thing is, the UK electoral map look a lot like the US with rural peeps being conservative and city dweebs being liberals.

a reply to: gortex

This is outrageous , I couldn't be more offended .

What about all the people who are mentally incapable of acquiring an I.D. ?

I will be virtue signaling on Twitter for the next hour .

Just kidding God Save the Queen , good move.

a reply to: gortex

is that some sort of preventif measure, for when the outcry of stolen elections comes? do you guys use the same counting machines like in the states? how will voter id prevent software "glitches" ???

a reply to: crayzeed

but what they are really asking for is an identity card. The next step is by law you must always carry your identity card.

I already have an identity card that I always carry with me , it's called a driving license , I don't think it unreasonable for someone to prove they are who they say they are when it comes to voting for a government.

originally posted by: crayzeed
a reply to: gortex
Very, very bad move. It sounds lovely "voting integrity" but what they are really asking for is an identity card. The next step is by law you must always carry your identity card. Can you see where this can lead. And don't give me the old chestnut of "if you've done nothing wrong, you've got nothing to fear".

Next thing you know you'll have to carry your driver's license at all times to drive on the road!

a reply to: Terpene

do you guys use the same counting machines like in the states? how will voter id prevent software "glitches" ???

Our votes are counted by hand , by people.

a reply to: crayzeed

And imagine the lunacy if they required people to show ID to buy alcohol or knives, yeah this sounds like a very bad move!

If someone is supposed to have ID to vote, then make sure you have your ID on you before you get in line to vote. How stupid it is to teach the young you do not have to prepared for what you are going to do. That is like going to the grocery store and getting a cart full of groceries then discover that you forgot your wallet.....we have to teach the young to be smart not stupid. Everyone I ever knew has at one time or another forgot their wallet, it is normal....not many people go to the store without their wallet, although some do leave it in their car on the council once in a while. I have seen people run out to the car when at the register, it sucks being behind someone like that but I can understand how it works, take out the wallet to pay at McDs or to gas up and then go to the store. Getting the wallet back into your pocket with the seat belt on can be kind of a pain. But thirty years ago I learned to do it anyway because it gets left there, nothing worse than going into the bar and ordering a drink and you have to run out and get your wallet.

a reply to: gortex

sounds totally racist. Or can black folk from the UK get to the ID place better than those of the US?

Let me know if they make the voting here compulsory, then I'll be pi55ed. Otherwise id is a good idea.

a reply to: Tekner
No you do not have to carry your driving licence at all times. But an awful lot of police cars are fitted with ANPR cameras (but they wont release just how many) this tells them if 1. who owns the vehicle. 2. if it's insured. 3' if it's MOTed. 4. if it's taxed. And through this connection to the DVLA they can get real time data about you and that includes your driving record and a copy of your photo licence. So next time the police stop you they already know you and your history before they get to your door.

a reply to: gortex

When politicians fail, here comes The Queen.

a reply to: Trueman

The Queen is our Head of State so by tradition she announces the governments agenda in the Queens Speech.

Seems our politicians are doing OK at the moment.

originally posted by: gortex
And about time too !
Announced in the Queens speech today (written by the government not the Queen) are two changes to the electoral rules that have been needed for quite some time , the first is the need for photo ID before you can cast your ballot and the second is a limit on the number of postal votes that can be handed in , I guess by one person.

A requirement that all voters carry photo ID could impede people who wish to turn up at polling stations without planning ahead, given about a quarter of voters – often younger voters – do not have either a passport or driving licence, critics say.

The government has previously said people would be able to apply for a voting ID card from their local council, although this would have to be done before polling day. Early trials in some areas led to hundreds of voters being turned away.

The voting reforms, which will also include a limit on the number of postal votes that can be handed in on behalf of others, are being justified by ministers as a way to reduce the risk of electoral fraud.
www.theguardian.com...

Of course some will complain about disenfranchisement but I think electoral integrity is more important than making it easy for those who can't be bothered to show they have the right to vote.

Another good step by Boris .

I have to say this is more a political distraction than anything else, there's a lot of other 'stuff' to be dealt with that might not see the light of day...so nothing better than people wrangling over voter fraud that barely exists anyway...this is typical, 'Gove-ism', a real slime ball politician is that man!

Th reality is that most people in the UK need to show ID in various forms anyway...in NI we do need positive ID.

a reply to: smurfy

I have to say this is more a political distraction than anything else, there's a lot of other 'stuff' to be dealt with that might not see the light of day

I think it's more about making our election process more secure , can't see how that's a bad thing as at the moment you don't even need to show your polling card to cast your vote and controls on postal ballots are nonexistent.

a reply to: gortex

I applaud the idea.

In Italy, photo ID has been obligatory for voting for as long as I can remember. It's never been an issue and people don't feel "controlled" or limited by having to have it.

However, we do have various options... passport, driving licence or a simple photo ID card which is cheap, easy to get and can also be used for travel in the EU. We also have a National Health card, but no photo as yet, so it can't be used for ID purposes.

As to the UK, in the twenty years that I lived there, I never used to carry my real licence and car documents, but photocopies, which was allowed at the time (not sure now).

One night I was chased for about eight miles by the police in a van. I was totally oblivious that they were after me. When I stopped they said they had had trouble keeping up with me until I hit the suburbs of Manchester and had slowed down.

In any case, they couldn't give me a speeding ticket because they had been unable to clock my speed long enough for it to register. What they did insist on though, was for me to produce my real licence and docs at the police station in, I think, seven or fourteen days. I ended up going that same evening and had to wait an hour for the cops who stopped me to return and register the stop.

If I had had my original documents the whole situation would have been concluded there and then.

Btw, it was still the folded paper style licence, no photo and nothing more was asked of me at the police station except insurance certificate and car registration... nothing that could truly identify me. All this prior to 9/11.

On the face of it this may seem reasonable....but its the thin end of the wedge.
What will it lead on to?
Where will it end?

We are heading towards a cashless society where citizens will have to carry I.D. cards at all times.
Your every purchase will be monitored - and regulated? - your every movement will be recorded and subject to facial recognition.

Sounds #ing horrendous to me.
By the time this gets played out I'll be too old to care.
But people I care for will not be.

The integrity of our elections must be maintained.
I don't know what the answer is, but I don't think its this.

a reply to: gortex

I don't understand why people would be against making it harder to cheat in an election.

Unless they actually want to make it easier to cheat. . . .