Photo ID now a requirement to vote in the UK

[Throbbing Angel]

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

This has been exacerbated by a change in the rules, I assume set by the electoral commission, whereby you now only need two people's signatures on your I want to be a Councillor form, whereas in previous years you needed ten.

This makes the job at the Council's Democratic Services offices a lot easier (fewer cock ups, fewer people to chase etc.) but two!?
You could prolly sort that out in the queue at the local Spar or chippy, ffs.

#Rigour?

 

[magneze]

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

What will be interesting is to see if there's a rise this year.

 

[danny la rouge]

What will be interesting is to see if there's a rise this year.

I hope there is.

 

[kalmatthew]

I hope there is.

Except that they'll just say that proves it's working, they knew it was happening and now they can prove it what a success this voter ID thing is. Catch 22

 

[mx wcfc]

What will be interesting is to see if there's a rise this year.

Joking aside, I've had a post office refuse to sign off a passport application because the photo "didn't look enough like me".

My very real fear this year is that some polling stations will have a functionary who regards themselves as the Defender of Democracy and will turn people away because their photo ID "doesn't look like them". This has the potential to go badly wrong, and the potential to be massively abused.

 

[bluescreen]

Joking aside, I've had a post office refuse to sign off a passport application because the photo "didn't look enough like me".

My very real fear this year is that some polling stations will have a functionary who regards themselves as the Defender of Democracy and will turn people away because their photo ID "doesn't look like them". This has the potential to go badly wrong, and the potential to be massively abused.

Do you reckon spurned people will kick off?

It certainly has the potential to cause massive delays and resentment.
A real win for tory democracy.

 

[mx wcfc]

Do you reckon spurned people will kick off?

I certainly would.

 

[brogdale]

Do you reckon spurned people will kick off?

It certainly has the potential to cause massive delays and resentment.
A real win for tory democracy.

The potential for queuing to vote at the peak times (before and after “work hours”) certainly could work to the Tories’ advantage by dissuading working people from bothering to cast their ballot. Of course their core retired demographic can mostly vote during the quieter “working day”. Straight out of the Republican playbook.

 

[mx wcfc]

The potential for queuing to vote at the peak times (before and after “work hours”) certainly could work to the Tories’ advantage by dissuading working people from bothering to cast their ballot. Of course their core retired demographic can mostly vote during the quieter “working day”. Straight out of the Republican playbook.

I do wonder whether a lot of the "traditionally older" tory vote will know about this. Many may not have ID.

It would be funny if this didn't go the way the tories think.

 

[Sasaferrato]

I do wonder whether a lot of the "traditionally older" tory vote will know about this. Many may not have ID.

It would be funny if this didn't go the way the tories think.

The vast majority of wrinklies have a bus pass.

 

[Karl Masks]

Do you reckon spurned people will kick off?

It certainly has the potential to cause massive delays and resentment.
A real win for tory democracy.

It does. They won't. The only people kicking off right now (other than strikes) are fascists and cranks

 

[brogdale]

The vast majority of wrinklies have a buss pass.

of course, but (i think) mx wcfc 's point was to question whether or not there were likely to have the bus pass etc. on them when they go to vote as they for the last 50 or 60 years. If the oldies are not carrying their pass on the day they will be turned away and then the question is whether or not they'd be bothered/able to go home, collect ID and return again? I'm sure the vermin algorithms have crunched that this voter suppression will fall with a massive net gain to them, but human nature is sometimes more complex than the nerds realise.

 

[Karl Masks]

I got my certificate. Was easy enough, once I got a photo sorted. The certificate is pretty large but fairly 'lo fi'. Purely functional.

 

[brogdale]

I got my certificate. Was easy enough, once I got a photo sorted. The certificate is pretty large but fairly 'lo fi'. Purely functional.

Having jumped through this particular vermin voter suppression hoop, what potential barriers do you perceive?

 

[Pickman's model]

I got my certificate. Was easy enough, once I got a photo sorted. The certificate is pretty large but fairly 'lo fi'. Purely functional.

Let's see a picture of this functional certificate

 

[Pickman's model]

It does. They won't. The only people kicking off right now (other than strikes) are fascists and cranks

By cranks you mean anti-fascists I suppose

 

[Karl Masks]

Having jumped through this particular vermin voter suppression hoop, what potential barriers do you perceive?

for me getting a good quality photo on my phone was a pain. Once all the data was gathered and sent online the local town hall voting peeps took a couple of days to process and post it back. Efficient service for something that shouldn't have happened

 

[StakerOne]

I always use postal vote, wondering if this will change anything. Possibly not because I don't think it's the postal voters they want to disenfranchise.

So if they pulled the plug on postal voting tomorrow, postal voters would be disenfranchised?

Please. Pack it in. That's bullshit, utter utter bullshit and you know it.

They should pull postal voting and make you vote down the polling station, proving who you are.

 

[two sheds]

So if they pulled the plug on postal voting tomorrow, postal voters would be disenfranchised?

Please. Pack it in. That's bullshit, utter utter bullshit and you know it.

They should pull postal voting and make you vote down the polling station, proving who you are.

You still here?

You think they're going to pull postal voting and make people vote down the polling station?

Please. Pack it in. That's bullshit, utter utter bullshit and you know it.

They should expand postal voting so that young people aren't disenfranchised by not having the 'right' proof.

 

[mojo pixy]

For the first time in my adult life I'm set to not vote in a GE. It's well-timed for me that this policy has been brought in at just the same moment as there's nobody I can even hold my nose and vote for anyway. I search my feelings, and underneath the dismay I find I simply don't give a fuck any more. That's the most depressing part of all.

And lol @ our resident anti-authoritarian conspiraloon ^^ who argues constantly elsewhere for 'human freedom' deferring to authority and telling us all to prove who we are in order to vote.

They should pull postal voting and make you vote down the polling station, proving who you are.

You couldn't make it up.

 

[brogdale]

for me getting a good quality photo on my phone was a pain. Once all the data was gathered and sent online the local town hall voting peeps took a couple of days to process and post it back. Efficient service for something that shouldn't have happened

So, to sum up, if you want a Voter Authority Certificate you have to know/be aware/have of:

• the new legal requirement
• the deadline of 25/04/23 for the next elections
• how to access and use the relevant state website
• the wherewithal to create and send a recent, compliant digital photo
• your national insurance number
• failing that
• 3 or 4 of these documents:
  
  • birth, marriage, civil partnership or adoption certificate
  • firearms certificate (granted under the Firearms Act 1968)
  • bail decision record
  • mortgage or pension statement
  • bank, building society or credit card statement, or account confirmation letter
  • utility bill
  • Council Tax statement or demand
  • current or previous employer’s P45 or P60
  • benefits or entitlement statement, including:
    1. Universal Credit
    2. Disability Living Allowance
    3. Personal Independence Payments
    4. any other state benefits
• etc.

For vulnerable, marginalised or the dispossessed this looks like a almost endless list of barriers to being able to vote. Exactly as it was designed to be.

 

[Karl Masks]

So, to sum up, if you want a Voter Authority Certificate you have to know/be aware/have of:

• the new legal requirement
• the deadline of 25/04/23 for the next elections
• how to access and use the relevant state website
• the wherewithal to create and send a recent, compliant digital photo
• your national insurance number
• failing that
• 3 or 4 of these documents:
  • birth, marriage, civil partnership or adoption certificate
  • firearms certificate (granted under the Firearms Act 1968)
  • bail decision record
  • mortgage or pension statement
  • bank, building society or credit card statement, or account confirmation letter
  • utility bill
  • Council Tax statement or demand
  • current or previous employer’s P45 or P60
  • benefits or entitlement statement, including:
    1. Universal Credit
    2. Disability Living Allowance
    3. Personal Independence Payments
    4. any other state benefits
• etc.

For vulnerable, marginalised or the dispossessed this looks like a almost endless list of barriers to being able to vote. Exactly as it was designed to be.

I don't recall having to submit any documentation when applying online and I wouldn't hjave been able to.

But offline you will need all that. My local library had a bunch of materials (forms, envelopes etc) to facilitate the process. They did their best with what's been imposed on them. I don't think the uptake was ideal. There's a poster in the local noticeboard notifying people about these changes, but the government has hardly been proactive in encouraging up take.

It stinks

 

[NoXion]

They should pull postal voting and make you vote down the polling station, proving who you are.

You want to restrict the electoral franchise to people who can make it to a polling station? Sounds like a load of "authoratron" bullshit to me...

Sorry people with extremely limited mobility, the hospitalised, those who work hours outside of polling station opening times. Staker boy doesn't think you have the right to vote because he can't see your face.

 

[High Voltage]

Just had notification through that my voting ID doodah is on its way to me

 

[gentlegreen]

Almost a shame there's no voting in Bristol this year.
I think I would go for my passport - which will still say "EU" on it until sept 2025.
I dream of being safely established on the mainland before May 2024 ...

 

[moochedit]

So if they pulled the plug on postal voting tomorrow, postal voters would be disenfranchised?

Please. Pack it in. That's bullshit, utter utter bullshit and you know it.

They should pull postal voting and make you vote down the polling station, proving who you are.

I would have thought you'd prefer some kind of block chain voting?

 

[poppy60]

Had my local election poll card and have decided to apply for a postal vote,so called into a whats called a local hub and asked for an application form,was told I had to go online to do this,so I did that and ended up on the conservative website,which did not help at all,everything is turning crap.

 

[moochedit]

for me getting a good quality photo on my phone was a pain. Once all the data was gathered and sent online the local town hall voting peeps took a couple of days to process and post it back. Efficient service for something that shouldn't have happened

Do you have to go online to get one of these voter cert thingys?

(Not asking for myself as i have both a passport and driving licence anyway)

 

[Karl Masks]

Do you have to go online to get one of these voter cert thingys?

(Not asking for myself as i have both a passport and driving licence anyway)

No you can do it via post, but you will need the documentation and application form. That's what my local library was providing.

 

[MickiQ]

Just had notification through that my voting ID doodah is on its way to me

Is it a bit of A4 paper or a proper plastic card? if it's the second I might get one myself for the LOL's