Photo ID now a requirement to vote in the UK

[brogdale]

Show up with your voting card, when they demand photo id claim to have none and can’t be fucked to make a second journey. Screw up voting card and lob it in their general direction whilst muttering shit about gerrymandering Tories and go home/pub.

That sort of thing, yeah.

Reminds me of the time a while back when I caused a bit of a kerfuffle at the polling station by asking if ‘my’ ballot paper really was mine and then saying I wanted to take it home with me while I had a think about the candidates on offer. Apparently this wasn’t allowed.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

The voter ID law is election rigging. All who take part in the running of a rigged election are fair game as far as I'm concerned.

Although my plan so far is turn up, refuse to show ID, complain loudly then walk off in a performative huff. So the poll clerks will probably survive that.

My general advice would be to not take it out on the polling station clerks or presiding officers, or anyone else, but to speak to your local Councillors, MP, the electoral commission etc regarding the changes.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

but to speak to your local ... MP

the local MP here is john redwood

 

[Throbbing Angel]

the local MP here is john redwood

My condolences.

 

[andysays]

The voter ID law is election rigging. All who take part in the running of a rigged election are fair game as far as I'm concerned.

Although my plan so far is turn up, refuse to show ID, complain loudly then walk off in a performative huff. So the poll clerks will probably survive that.

Does this "logic" apply to everyone who works for the state, like for example teachers, or are you picking and choosing who you behave like a cunt towards?

 

[SpookyFrank]

Does this "logic" apply to everyone who works for the state, like for example teachers, or are you picking and choosing who you behave like a cunt towards?

Teaching serves a purpose beyond legitimising a fatally compromised democratic process, so no.

E2a: Then again if you'd read the post you're snipping at you'd know I had no intention of behaving like a cunt to anyone. I'll just add myself to the tally of people turned away.

 

[A380]

Teaching serves a purpose beyond legitimising a fatally compromised democratic process, so no.

Isn't your primary role, and the one funded by the state, to turn out compliant automatons skilled just enough to act as interchangeable labour units for Capital whilst reinforcing the current social structures and hierarchies? A job your profession seems to do adequately...

 

[Pickman's model]

Teaching serves a purpose beyond legitimising a fatally compromised democratic process, so no.

E2a: Then again if you'd read the post you're snipping at you'd know I had no intention of behaving like a cunt to anyone. I'll just add myself to the tally of people turned away.

teaching ought to serve a purpose beyond...

but i am led to believe that teaching to the test is now widespread

 

[SpookyFrank]

Isn't your primary role, and the one funded by the state, to turn out compliant automatons skilled just enough to act as interchangeable labour units for Capital whilst reinforcing the current social structures and hierarchies? A job your profession seems to do adequately...

I work in a special needs school where the majority of students are not expected to go into paid employment as adults. The culture and ideology in mainstream schools did not sit right with my conscience so I left that job and won't be returning.

Thanks for playing though.

 

[Pickman's model]

The voter ID law is election rigging. All who take part in the running of a rigged election are fair game as far as I'm concerned.

Although my plan so far is turn up, refuse to show ID, complain loudly then walk off in a performative huff. So the poll clerks will probably survive that.

all elections are rigged. i don't see you complaining about eg the artificial age restriction, nor the other ways in which ability to stand are restricted eg being registered with the electoral commission or having to pay a deposit. while the majority of the electorate have to work there can in any case be no free and fair elections. sure AmateurAgitator would put it more forcefully than that but there you go

 

[SpookyFrank]

Just to get this straight, we're defending the honour of people who will be turning people away from polling stations? Just checking.

How long would the voter ID law last if staff refused to enforce it. Not long. So, complicity is the right word isn't it?

 

[NoXion]

Poll workers aren't responsible for this attempt at voter suppression, but I think it's a bit off to talk as if they are without any agency themselves.

 

[andysays]

Just to get this straight, we're defending the honour of people who will be turning people away from polling stations? Just checking.

How long would the voter ID law last if staff refused to enforce it. Not long. So, complicity is the right word isn't it?

Again, can we apply the same fucked up logic to all other employees of the state?

Are teachers similarly complicit for the National Curriculum, or for the rules around uniform?

If you're arguing one, you're effectively arguing the other.

 

[gentlegreen]

I'm fully aware that this is cynical and poll tax mk 2, but I'm torn when it comes to identity technologies.
Following recent events, as a 60-something likely to be heading off into wild places, I will be making sure my exact location is known and alarms sound if I look like I'm in trouble.
And in a world containing "sovcits", in certain contexts I absolutely recognise the requirement to identify myself.

 

[High Voltage]

Well, I've just applied for my voter photo ID - just to be sure

I've got:-

Out-of-date passport - it's proper old, I'm about 20 in it
Photo driving licence
In-date passport
and now I've got my voting photo ID

 

[gentlegreen]

I have a DL and passport, but maybe I will get myself a voter ID as a souvenir..

 

[Maggot]

Not a single case of voter impersonation last year.

Voter photo ID plan attacked as UK data shows no cases of impersonation

System’s opponents say it creates barrier to voting, with no proven instances of ‘personation’ at polling stations last year

www.theguardian.com

 

[Throbbing Angel]

Not a single case of voter impersonation last year.

Voter photo ID plan attacked as UK data shows no cases of impersonation

System’s opponents say it creates barrier to voting, with no proven instances of ‘personation’ at polling stations last year

www.theguardian.com

Boils my piss - how much must all this bollocks be costing?!?

 

[Throbbing Angel]

Just to get this straight, we're defending the honour of people who will be turning people away from polling stations? Just checking.

How long would the voter ID law last if staff refused to enforce it. Not long. So, complicity is the right word isn't it?

Hate the game, not the player. Speak to someone who has some ability to change things.

Poll workers aren't responsible for this attempt at voter suppression, but I think it's a bit off to talk as if they are without any agency themselves.

^^^this^^^ most people working at polling stations will work for a Council in some capacity - polling clerk is the lowest position and isn't paid very well compared to some roles. It's like giving street cleaners shit about littering - they're just there to clean it up, they didn't do it.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Again, can we apply the same fucked up logic to all other employees of the state?

Are teachers similarly complicit for the National Curriculum, or for the rules around uniform?

If you're arguing one, you're effectively arguing the other.

See my previous response to this point from the last time you made it.

I have never enforced school uniform rules because it goes against the actual purpose of my job, namely providing a safe and productive learning environment for my students. Similarly, any election official whose actual job is ensuring the smooth running of a democratic process but who chooses to turn people away from that process for a spurious reason is going against the basic purpose of their job. Make excuses for that if you like but they're not going to be good enough for me.

 

[MickiQ]

Surprised that someone like the Good Law Project has not had a bash at challenging the approved documentation list tbh. If a pensioner railcard is sufficient proof then it isn't logical that a student one isn't.
There's plenty of scope for challenging a lot of this documentation on discrimination grounds.
Despite the outrage in certain local quarters I don't think there is going to be much if any resistance to this. Most people do have Photo ID of some sort, if you haven't but are committed to the idea of voting then you can get one for free. I suspect most non-id'ers aren't going to be that bothered enough to complain (and of course that is probably the objective anyway)
Not wishing to undermine anyone's commitment to democracy but going in, demanding a card and then flouncing off rather than show ID is going to achieve nothing other than make the polling officers think they have a prat on their hands.
The irony of a goverment that won the last GE on a landslide worrying about non-existent voter fraud is not lost on me but this is a battle that has been irrevocably lost.

 

[SpookyFrank]

this is a battle that has been irrevocably lost.

We tried doing nothing, and now we're all out of ideas.

 

[Sasaferrato]

I'm opposed to ID cards on principle, but it would solve the problem.

As a wrinkly I have a driving license (photo since I turned 70), bus pass and passport.

Given youngster's tendency to turn Amsterdam and Ibiza into a wasteland, I would reckon that a lot of young people have passports.

The real weakness in the system is not personation on the day, but postal votes.

It is strange though that one type of travel photocard is accepted, but another isn't.

 

[MickiQ]

We tried doing nothing, and now we're all out of ideas.

And you're still doing nothing, you're just kidding yourself that you are.

 

[SpookyFrank]

It is strange though that one type of travel photocard is accepted, but another isn't.

A real head scratcher isn't it? Why would the tories want boomers turning out but not young people?

 

[NoXion]

I'm opposed to ID cards on principle, but it would solve the problem.

As a wrinkly I have a driving license (photo since I turned 70), bus pass and passport.

Given youngster's tendency to turn Amsterdam and Ibiza into a wasteland, I would reckon that a lot of young people have passports.

The real weakness in the system is not personation on the day, but postal votes.

It is strange though that one type of travel photocard is accepted, but another isn't.

What problem would supposedly be solved by ID cards? It's my understanding that the rates of electoral fraud which would be necessitating ID checks are actually vanishingly infrequent.

 

[A380]

Again, can we apply the same fucked up logic to all other employees of the state?

Are teachers similarly complicit for the National Curriculum, or for the rules around uniform?

If you're arguing one, you're effectively arguing the other.

Othering innit.

I refuse to compromise by acting in solidarity, wherever possible, whilst performing my necessary social role.
You are complicit in the actions of the state
He is a jackbooted Nazi.

 

[Pickman's model]

I'm opposed to ID cards on principle, but it would solve the problem.

As a wrinkly I have a driving license (photo since I turned 70), bus pass and passport.

Given youngster's tendency to turn Amsterdam and Ibiza into a wasteland, I would reckon that a lot of young people have passports.

The real weakness in the system is not personation on the day, but postal votes.

It is strange though that one type of travel photocard is accepted, but another isn't.

The real weakness in the system is the number of shits who present themselves for election

 

[Throbbing Angel]

Nominations closed today. Just under 500 where I live/work

 

[bluescreen]

The real weakness in the system is the number of shits who present themselves for election

And the decent people who don't. I wonder why they don't.

No, I don't wonder really.