Forum Topic

Voting Security

Earlier today I went down to my local poll station to cast my vote. It says on the poll card that you do not need to have it with you in order to vote.  Out of interest, I asked one of the people manning the station what identity proof they would have asked for if I had not taken the poll card. "Your name and address" was the reply. They confirmed that they would not ask for proof of identity.  Unbelievable. No wonder we doubt the validity of election results.

Joan Adamson ● 2278d16 Comments

That's exactly what I did - some did not though at least while I was in there.

Jennifer Selig ● 2274d

I have never suggested anyone needs more proof of ID than just taking their polling card to the polling station.I still think that is not too much to ask of anyone.

Keith Iddon ● 2274d

I thought that there were trials in some areas of requiring ID a few years back.

Philippa Bond ● 2274d

You could quite easily claim to be someone else without proof of ID,Jennifer.If you can't see, fair do's.Your pantomime scenario sounds hilarious btw.

Keith Iddon ● 2276d

This was an old saying in Northern Ireland before voting days: "Vote early - vote often!"JL.

Jim Linwood ● 2276d

What is to stop someone simply saying they live at an address when they don't?What a terrible thought.  I could easily have done this.  In fact I could have gone into the Polling Station at different times during the day with a change of clothing, headscarf one time, hat the next and voted several times over.  You'd have to be clever though a select addresses where you know for sure that the persons living there are away and have not cast postal votes, so not as simple as it might seem.

Jennifer Selig ● 2276d

The cart has to go behind the horse.Accepting that someone can simply say an address and be entitled to vote is opening up the voting system to abuse. Voters are not customers as in your example and if it is made plain that proof of ID is necessary to vote and they still turn up without that proof, they are depriving themselves of the privilege of voting.What is to stop someone simply saying they live at an address when they don't?

Keith Iddon ● 2276d

In my job i am required to ask every customer for proof of ID.Customers are advised of this on their collection card that we give them.Most customers are fine about it.Many look at you with complete disgust that you have dared to ask them.Many that don't have any ID like to hurl abuse at you and insist on speaking to a manager who just tells them they need to go away and return with appropriate ID.Many think a photo of their drivers license or passport on their phone is ok - it isn't. Try getting on a plane or showing your phone to a police officer.A few facetime their relative or friend to get them to say it's definately them - i kid you not.Then there's the lovely few that haven't a clue what your saying as they do not speak a word of English.Asking someone for ID is nowhere near as simple as you might think.

Martin Webb ● 2276d

What I am wondering about is how many of those large voting forms even folded up can fit in the voting box or were spare spares kept at each polling station?

Paul Fisher ● 2276d

The Electoral Reform Society explains why introducing ID rules to UK elections would be a bad move:https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/campaigns/upgrading-our-democracy/voter-id/

Peter Evans ● 2277d

It could be argued generally that given the almost constantly low turnout in elections in this country, only the few of us who are clearly bonkers and insist on our democratic right bother to turn out anyway.

Vanessa Smith ● 2277d

It's not too much to ask that people take with them their election notice letter.

Keith Iddon ● 2277d

Its always the Labour Party who strongly disagree with voter identity which I suspect is no coincidenceI voted about 7pm last night and the polling station was deserted apart from the three staff sipping tea having a chat and was not asked for my voting card so I guess I could have used somebody elses name and address

Paul Fisher ● 2277d

That is correct. The British do not carry identity documents. Also some people who did have indentity found they had been crossed off of the list of voters. We need to call in someone from say the UN to see elections work as they should. This is what happens in countries with poor voting  organisation.

Nicholas Beard ● 2277d

How would having to prove your ID 'disenfranchise many people' if beforehand they knew that it was required?

Keith Iddon ● 2277d

Voting fraud at UK polling stations is absolutely negligible, while having to produce formal ID would disenfranchise many people.  You'll be wanting to get rid of the blunt pencil on a string next!

Peter Evans ● 2277d