Around 14,000 folks weren't in a position to vote on this yr's native elections as a result of they failed to provide the best picture ID, the Electoral Commission has revealed.
Under new guidelines introduced in by the federal government, voters should now present an accepted type of picture identification earlier than they're allowed a poll paper.
New information from the vote on 4 May reveals that 0.25% of individuals (roughly 14,000) who went to a polling station had been unable to vote - both as a result of they'd no ID with them, or the improper sort.
Accepted types of ID embody passports, driving licences and blue badges - or voters can apply for a free certificates by publish forward of polling day.
The new information additionally instructed that "disabled people and those who are unemployed were more likely than other groups to give a reason related to ID for not voting".
Last month's vote was the primary time the brand new guidelines had been examined. They will even be used on the subsequent common election - tipped for 2024. The Electoral Commission, which is an impartial physique, stated the figures on folks being turned away had been "concerning".
Craig Westwood, director of communications on the fee, stated the "majority of voters" had been in a position to vote on 4 May.
But he added: "Some people were prevented from voting in polling stations due to the requirement, and significantly more did not attempt to because they lacked the required ID."
Mr Westwood says the fee "doesn't want to see a single voter lose the opportunity to vote" and extra work can be accomplished to enhance the scenario forward of a full report in September.
There have been widespread issues in regards to the affect of the brand new guidelines on turnout ever since they had been introduced
In May, former minister Jacob Rees-Mogg MP claimed they had been an try by the Conservatives to "gerrymander" the electoral system and scale back voting amongst teams who historically align themselves to different events.
Speaking on the National Conservatism Conference in May, he stated: "Parties that try and gerrymander end up finding their clever scheme comes back to bite them, as dare I say we found by insisting on voter ID for elections.
"We discovered the individuals who did not have ID had been aged they usually by and huge voted Conservative, so we made it arduous for our personal voters and we upset a system that labored completely effectively."
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The Electoral Commission stated figures confirmed a "very high awareness" of the brand new guidelines on voter ID - and that greater than half who arrived at polling stations knew in regards to the free certificates.
Data reveals nearly 90,000 folks utilized for them and 81,033 had been issued. But solely 25,000 had been used on the day.
'Chilling impact on democracy'
Responding to the info, deputy Labour chief Angela Rayner stated voter ID guidelines are having a "chilling effect on democracy", with indications minority teams are being disproportionately affected "particularly alarming".
"Jacob Rees-Mogg's admission that this shabby scheme was designed to rig the rules to lock voters out revealed the cold truth behind it," she stated in a press release.
The Liberal Democrats' native authorities spokesperson, Helen Morgan, described it as an "outrage".
"It looks like a transparent attempt at voter suppression by Conservative ministers who are desperate to stop people from holding them to account by any means possible," she stated.
The SNP described it as a "damaging threat to democracy in the UK".
Content Source: information.sky.com
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