Voter ID
From Mark H
Tuesday, 10 January 2023
Happy New Year, all.
I'm one of the people who works in a Polling Station so that we can all participate in the democratic process (love it or loathe it, it's the only one we have...).
There is a local Council election (and some Parish Council elections depending where you live) on May 4 this year. For the first time, we will only be able to issue ballot papers to people with a photo ID.
Not every common photo ID will be acceptable. I'm attaching a link to the Electoral Commission website, which gives full details of which forms of ID we can accept.
You can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate via Calderdale - the process is given here too.
I'm not allowed to campaign or canvass in any elections (as I work in a Polling Station), but I would urge everyone to check if you already have the right voter ID, or to consider getting a Voter Authority Certificate if not.
As I said - love it or loathe it, it's the only one we have....
May the 4th be with you
From Gary W
Thursday, 12 January 2023
If you or someone you know are concerned about whether or not you/they will be in the possession of one of the limited number of acceptable forms of identification, there is always the option of registering for a postal vote.
Once registered, you will automatically be able to vote by post in all future local and national elections. You can change back to in person (ID required) voting at any point.
When applying for a postal vote, you are not required to give a reason as to why you want to vote by post. So long as you are 18 or over and are on the electoral register, you can opt to cast your ballot in this way. Details are here.
From Adrian Riley
Tuesday, 17 January 2023
This is the first time I have heard of these changes. Strange how long we have been voting without needing to show a self-portrait. A backward step and a barrier to freedom. Apply for a "Voter Authority Certificate", well that doesn't sound very friendly.
Is it all a plot to persuade everyone to vote by post, where no such requirement is asked for.
I always assumed that fraud was easier with postal votes.
From Simon David Stewart
Tuesday, 2 May 2023
The 'voter suppression' fraud continues. Introduce a measure - yes, there is a problem with postal voting, this does not address it - claiming to deal with supposed personation at the ballot box for which there is little evidence. More Tory MPs are being investigated for sexual misconduct than have ever been prosecuted for ballot box voter fraud.
Bring it in at short notice and unnecessary expense to local authorities. How about spending that money on making sure the voter rolls are up to date, that all that could vote can vote. And discriminate by age on permissible voter ID: I, an old ****, can use my bus pass but a student can't use their college ID.
And what count is going to be kept of those that get turned away?