Dear Constituent,
Thank you for contacting me about voter ID.
A secure electoral system is a vital component of a healthy democracy, and the public must have confidence that our elections are secure and fit for the 21st century. Asking voters to bring ID to their polling station is an important way of achieving this and the Elections Bill will put such a requirement into law.
Voter ID is not new. Northern Ireland has required paper ID at polling stations since 1985, and photo ID since 2003 – introduced by the last Labour Government. It has proved to be effective at tackling fraud and has not curtailed election turnout.
Identification to vote has been backed by the Electoral Commission and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, which state that its absence is a security risk. At present, it is harder to take out a library book or collect a parcel at a post office than it is to vote in someone else’s name.
In pilot schemes in 2018 and 2019, the overwhelming majority of people cast their vote without a problem and the success of the pilots proves that this is a reasonable and proportionate measure to take, and there was no notable adverse effect on turnout.
The Electoral Commission also stated that
"the experience of taking part in the pilot scheme appears to have had a positive impact on people’s perception of the security of the polling station process, and on their confidence in it...Polling station staff were satisfied with how polling day went and were confident that they could manage the process of people showing voter identification at future elections."
Under the Government’s proposals, anyone without an ID will be able to apply for a new free one – meaning that no voter will be disenfranchised.
I appreciate your concerns about Voter ID but introducing identification to vote was a Conservative Party manifesto commitment in 2019. The Organisation for the Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and the Electoral Commission have both expressed concern about the current system and recommended the use of ID in polling stations.
A report published by Sir Eric, now Lord Pickles, in 2016 recommended the introduction of providing identification before voting. The report acknowledged that the number of allegations was low and cases of prosecution were rare. It also explained, however, that the significant vulnerability highlighted by expert organisations and the fact that 80 per cent of the registered electorate vote at polling stations gave rise to a risk that needed to be addressed.
The Association of Electoral Administrators, the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and the National Police Chiefs’ Council have all expressed support for an ID requirement. Further details on the operation of the proposals will be released in due course.
Recent data shows that 99 per cent of people from ethnic minority background had a form of ID that would be accepted under the proposals, as did 98 per cent of people who identify as white. A total of 99 per cent of 18-29 year olds hold the relevant ID and 98 per cent of those aged 70 and over do too.
I can assure you that the Government is working to ensure that all eligible voters continue to be able to vote. Work is ongoing with charities and civil society organisations to communicate changes and improve the proposals where necessary. The legislation will make clear that local authorities will be required to provide an identity card to anyone who needs it. A Cabinet Office evaluation of the Voter ID pilot scheme in 2019 also found that locally issued ID had a positive benefit for homeless electors who were able to use it to access other local public services including a local job centre.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
Yours,
EDWARD LEIGH MP