LONDON (AP) — Britain’s electoral watchdog stated Friday that about 14,000 individuals had been prevented from voting in final month’s native elections due to a brand new legislation requiring voters to point out photograph identification.
The Electoral Commission stated 0.25% of people that went to polling stations had been unable to solid ballots as a result of they didn’t have the correct ID, and “significantly more” than that possible didn’t present up in any respect.
Craig Westwood, the fee’s communications director, stated there was “concerning” proof that disabled and unemployed individuals had been extra possible than different teams to provide a purpose associated to ID for not voting.
“We don’t want to see a single voter lose the opportunity to have their say,” he stated. “We are working to understand the challenges people faced, and will make recommendations that, with the engagement of government and wider electoral community, will support the participation of all voters.”
The authorities says ID is required to vote in lots of democracies, and the transfer will assist stop voter fraud. Critics say there’s little proof electoral fraud is an issue in Britain.
Opposition events accused the Conservative authorities of attempting to suppress the votes of these much less prone to assist the ruling celebration.
Acceptable types of ID embrace passports, driver’s licenses and senior residents’ travelcards – however not transit passes for younger individuals.
The authorities says getting an older individual’s travelcard requires proof of age, in contrast to different transit passes. But the discrepancy has introduced allegations the change will disproportionately stop younger individuals – the group least prone to assist the Conservatives – from voting. Poor persons are additionally much less prone to have photograph ID than the extra prosperous.
The Electoral Reform Society, which opposes the brand new guidelines, stated the federal government ought to “scrap this ill-thought-through and unnecessary scheme” earlier than the following nationwide election, due by the tip of 2024.
The Conservatives took a hammering within the May 4 elections as voters expressed frustration at a cost-of-living disaster pushed by decades-high inflation.
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