Voters will have to show ID
 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38440934

An, of course, some political figures are against the idea. :confused:

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

I would have no problem with that. No-one else should either.

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

No problem at all with it ,of course if the government had pursued ID cards then it wouldn't be a problem

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

Same here. Can't believe we don't have to, especially given the proof of quite widespread election fraud etc. It can't be right that simple possession of a poling card virtually equates to a vote.

We think nothing about showing ID to pick up parcels and all sorts of things which are far less important than voting so what's the problem?

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

Might not be that easy though:

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/at...2&d=1482847443

Could be anybody under there.

Attachment 26842

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

Then they don't get to vote

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

We certainly have no worries about it either.

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

We have no problem either though I don't think fraudulent voting is widespread the process needs to be as transparent and correct as possible to maintain faith in the results.

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

Time for National i.d. cards... sort a lot of problems out.

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

IF the card was just about identity then I think most would be OK with that. It was the fact that the proposed card had RFID and the possibility of remote tracking of your movements and the all inclusive list of organisations that would have had unfettered access to that data that was the issue. Much like the snoopers charter.

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

Thats nice for you, but you dont speak for everyone.

None of those require a photo id.
I dont see why should I have to specially dig my passport out just to vote, its OTT.

(And what if you dont have one, up until about 10 years ago I didnt).

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

I am all for them... if they are free (i.e. paid for from taxes).

---------- Post added at 15:37 ---------- Previous post was at 15:35 ----------


I have to supply photo ID and a recent utility bill for a few council things (e.g. Blue Badge renewal and use of council tips).

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

I agree with this I think.

A lot of people don't have driving licences or passports. There are some issues with voting but we should always err on the side of caution when it comes to restricting the ability to vote, even for something as innocuous as requiring 'some form' of ID. We don't want to create the situation they have in the US where there are seemingly many obstacles for people to vote in certain states.

The danger would be if a lot of people simply don't know about this change and get turned away. We've done a good job with voting in this country, it's mostly accessible, simple and resistant to mass fraud. We don't want to create a problem disenfranchisement, to solve a problem which doesn't really exist.

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

The actual Government response to Eric Pickles' report.

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...oral-fraud.pdf

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

I have no problem with ID

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

No problem with the principle although i currently don't have a photo ID so if they go ahead with this it should be in conjunction with a national ID card that is purely an ID card not the mess they tried to implement a few years ago.

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

I look at this in several ways.

I have no problem in this. I carry a drivers licence, bank cards, staff pass etc. I don't have a problem showing any to prove my ID.

If you don't have one, you don't get to vote or get into premises.

IF, you have veils, this could prove a problem going down the racism route. And mant people will pick this up.

Several years ago, l was in an office and the bell rung at the front door. It was a courier biker.

And he was wearing a helmet. He/she was asked to remove it. He /she refused. The reception refused to let them in until ID could be proved.

This is how it should be. NO ID. NOT ALLOWED IN - SIMPLES

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

Fine by me, i always found it strange that they don't require it anyway.

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

They should be concentrating on voter turnout (e.g. online voting) and increasing those on the electoral register. The last changes to registration resulted in 800,000 being cut from the register, mainly the young.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics...s-figures-show

These changes will make turnout even lower. I suspect the motivation for this is nothing to do with security, but more trying to put more obstacles in the way for those less inclined to vote for a particular party.

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

Exactly :tu:

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

Because IIRC there is no formal means of identification in the UK. Hence the problem with what happens if someone doesn't have it. As RizzyKing says I think this would work better if brought in alongside such a system.

After all it's entirely possible not to have a drivers licence or a passport. If you live in an inner-city and don't travel abroad it may even be likely.

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

However, most people have a bank card or a bus pass...

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

I think another form of ID would be fingerprints. Some Companies now have fingerprints to prove there staff are. And when they sign in for work.

They just put there finger onto an electronic key pad.

Again, l have no problem with that either. If you think all over the world police forces have them, including the FBI and Interpol

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

About time :tu:

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

For criminals...

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

I think banks should be asked to make all bank cards with photos. It would help their security too, and they do enough checks before allowing us to open an account these days.

Or perhaps put a photo on our National Insurance cards?

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

I would like a National ID card so long as it contained no more additional information than what the government already has with the passport and driving licences. The French have it and can use it as a passport within Europe for example, very useful.

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

This is ludicrous. I wanted to talk to EE about upgrading a phone (just talk, not actually do it). In order to pass security they wanted me to tell them where I'd bought the original phone from.....2 years ago......I have bought several phones in that time period. I couldn't answer the next two security questions either because they were so 'random'.....and I was sat looking at my EE account online at the time! Yet we can walk into a polling station, present them with a slip of paper, say 'yep, that's me', and vote in an election! :dozey:

---------- Post added at 21:46 ---------- Previous post was at 21:42 ----------

Don't be silly. You don't need a passport to travel in Europe. Just ask Anis Amri.......:erm:

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

Well between a Schengen country and another European country not within the area anyway. So France/UK or anywhere requiring a flight. Either way a passport in card form would be useful IMO.

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

I agree there.....but 9/10 terrorists in the Schengen area wouldn't :D

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

You don't even need you poll card to vote. If you turn up at the polling station and know the name registered at an address you can vote. The Presiding Officer cannot refuse to issue a ballot paper if the person presenting can successfully answer the prescribed questions.

About time things were tightened up.

Cheers

Grim

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

The cards only contain digital duplicates of what is printed on them. The "other" information is held on secure databases, including arrest warrants, no-fly alerts, suspension of driving licences, etc., only accessible by specific people in specific situations.

Failure to present your ID to specific persons at specific times (e.g. by a police officer when you are under suspicion) can result in arrest in many countries. The days of being allowed to "present your ID at a police station within 48 hours" are become rarer.

German drivers were compelled to carry ALL their vehicle information at all times when driving (hence the "man-bags" you saw blokes carrying) but now the information is all digitised and accessible via your ID card details. It seems odd that in the UK all that information can be accessed by the police just by a person giving their name (and perhaps address and date of birth). If you give a false name, they access the wrong information!

It is apparently very common for visitors to this country to get full free access to NHS services just by presenting someone else's NHS card!

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

We do have an aversion to that kind of rule though. We certainly don't want it to be a requirement to have your ID at all times after all/

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

The Armed Services do. My husband was always in a panic if he couldn't find his because the Navy would fine him if he failed to produce it to them or the police..Anyway I've always wondered why they didn't require ID to vote.

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

A compromise might be to at least show your polling card before you vote (currently not compulsory). Not full proof but better than nothing, and most people do this anyway as it saves time at the polling station. If you don't have this then ID would be needed.

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

None of these things? I only specified one. ;)

Opening a bank account or withdrawing large amounts of cash would be another. Try doing that without photo ID. Even going into pubs/clubs a photo ID can be required depending on age. Photo ID is increasingly going to be required for all sorts of things like it or not.

Just to vote? I reckon voting's more important than any of the above so wouldn't have a problem taking may passport which I already have to do when photo ID is required because I don't have a photocard licence. No effort or digging's required, I just go to the safe and get it when needed.

Yes it is an inconvenience, yes there would be problems and yes it might be unfair to some (one of my sons included) but neither option is perfect and voting isn't something which ought to be open to abuse. I'd expect that some form of concession in the form of another ID card would be required for those who don't have passports or photo licences and see no reason why this couldn't be free to those in need.

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

Why is Labour so worried about a crackdown on voter fraud?
:D

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

Seems credible to me. :D

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

So despite oodles of voter fraud and constituency boundaries biased towards Labour they still couldn't win a one horse race .....awsome

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

Heresay from the conservative Spectator rag. I've no objections to voters having to show their polling cards, It's if this goes further and requires ID which the poorest might not have. Also the latest registration changes which resulted in 800,000 mostly young people disappearing off the register. If anything the 'fiddle' is the other way. (I've got more sympathy for the changes to constituency boundaries).

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

A lot of the people you say have disappeared off the register are simply people formerly registered under a household name who will now have to register for themselves ,if they can be bothered to spare 5 mins to undertake this arduous chore .Incidentally stopping single household registration is in itself a fraud prevention measure

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

Even the poorest have some sort of ID as their benefits are now paid into the bank and they will have at least a basic bank account with accompanying card.

As to the 800,000 you keep harping on about from the bottom of the article you linked to else where.

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

For whatever reason young people are increasingly not registered to vote or not turning out to vote. You may say that's their look out/fault, partly it is. However whatever your political leaning young people not being engaged in politics or thinking voting matters or having a stake in the future is a big problem for the future of this country. Certainly more of an issue than virtually non-existent voter fraud.

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

How much fraud is actually there? I am not convinced this is a massive issue. I know it can be as we saw in Tower Hamlets but isolated incidents aren't evidence of it being a widespread problem. In that case it was postal voting anyway which seems to be more of a problem than in-person voting where I believe our system is already resilient.

After all it's risky to vote in person as someone else and also hard to scale. Sure you could do it but then that's one person, you probably can't do it in the same voting station so you would need to know the details of another person in another voting district and also be sure they haven't or won't vote lest they figure something is up. So maybe you get many people to vote as someone else but as well as the risk that one of them gets caught you have the additional risk one of them will reveal their plans to others or the police.

If you had a ring of 50 people who each voted three times in different districts posing as voters they knew would not vote then you've still only changed 150 votes. And that would be incredibly hard to pull off anyway!

So what evidence is there of such systematic fraud?

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

and as it happens i agree with you 100% here .Voting and voting registration should be made as easy as possible ,it's very easy to turn young people off if a system is perceived to be too complicated or requires too many thumb pushes on the phone ,is there any reason why 18yr olds cannot be registered automatically when they turn 18 ?

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

Yep. They really are that rubbish :D

---------- Post added at 23:21 ---------- Previous post was at 23:17 ----------

Any fraud is too much, imo, and should be stamped out.

---------- Post added at 23:24 ---------- Previous post was at 23:21 ----------

link
As I've already posted:
I dunno. Is 16 local authority areas 'systematic'?

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

Would not bother me to show I D,

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

The fraud is reported to be amongst one group of voters. Obvious which one when you see where this trial is being rolled-out.

Re: Voters will have to show ID
 

I did best part of 25 years as a Presiding Officer and have seen some things that made me wonder and others that have made me worry. I can't believe that mine was the only polling station in Leeds where people tried it on.

I do a different job on election day now and look after about 25 polling stations but I still see people being 'browbeaten' outside polling stations in certain parts of the city.

Cheers

Grim