Cable Forum - View Single Post - Government intends to bring in Voter ID law.

**Hugh** · 14-10-2019, 12:46

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-a9154936.html

Quote:

Voter ID: Government announces plan to prevent UK citizens voting without photographic proof of identity at polling stations

The government has announced plans to prevent people from voting unless they can provide photographic identification, prompting accusations it is attempting to “rig the next election”.

Under plans unveiled in the Queen’s Speech, Boris Johnson’s Conservatives will require voters to produce photographic ID at the ballot box for parliamentary elections and English local elections, in what critics have called a “dangerous and undemocratic” reform.

A trial of the scheme in local elections this year saw 800 people reportedly turned away from polling stations, leading Labour to urge the policy be “abandoned immediately”. On Monday, shadow voting minister Cat Smith claimed the announcement was a “blatant attempt by the Tories to rig the result of the next general election”.

Voter ID, intended to “tackle electoral fraud and protect our democracy”, is among a number of electoral changes the government is seeking to introduce. Under the scheme, anyone who does not have photographic ID will be able to apply for a free document proving their identity.

But Darren Hughes, of the Electoral Reform Society (ERS), said “these plans will leave tens of thousands of legitimate voters voiceless”.

There doesn't seem to be much (validated) evidence of voter fraud in the UK - Out of 44.6 million votes cast in 2017, there was one conviction resulting from the 28 allegations of in-person voter fraud.

https://www.electoralcommission.org....ral-fraud-data

Quote:

In 2018, there was no evidence of large-scale electoral fraud.

Of the 266 cases that were investigated by the police, one led to a conviction, and two suspects accepted police cautions.

In 2017, there was one conviction and eight suspects accepted police cautions.