So you thought voter ID was straightforward?

ID per se is no big deal.

The way this rotten government is going about it is.

I am sure you are right about libertarians Baggs, but de facto I don't know what the absence of ID cards solves. If a police car stops you you are often asked to provide ID aren't you? If that can be passport, driving licence, bus pass, student ID or proof of address I am not sure what the difference is.
My ID card holds face ID and fingerprints so it can easily be checked. Surely a national database of fingerprints ought to help solve crime more quickly?
Obviously all or any of the above can be subject to abuse by a rogue government, but that is true of everywhere isn't it? That is why we need open democratic processes and courts of human rights.

Baggs

It strikes me that people most opposed to ID cards are often the same people who support massive government involvement and want massive government funding for all sorts of other things that touch our lives. It's an odd dichotomy.

Maybe you could support that assumption because I don't see it. In fact, I see the opposite (maybe not on GN). My perception is that those who oppose ID cards tend to be libertarians, who are by definition opposed to government intervention. It would be good to see some facts.

It strikes me that people most opposed to ID cards are often the same people who support massive government involvement and want massive government funding for all sorts of other things that touch our lives. It's an odd dichotomy.

This is why myself and DH won’t be doing election duty again after doing it for years. We did it in our small village, I dread to think of the stress doing it in a really busy polling station. Also the pay isn’t good enough for the very long day and responsibilities,

Interestingly though my Spanish grandchildren have just got passports to visit the UK. They have obviously had ID cards from birth so the passports were free and created and handed over in 30 minutes.

As a migrant Maizie it gives me security that I can instantly prove my right to live here.
I have always thought they are a good idea though as it provides equality for all citizens, not just those with a passport or driving licence.

Security from what, Mamie?

I'm afraid that the thought of having to carry a state controlled national ID card makes me feel completely the opposite.

vegansrock

If we did have ID cards it wouldn’t be a problem. This government is trying to put the cart before the horse.

I agree and don't doubt this government is doing it for the wrong reasons.
I am always surprised by the anti ID cards sentiment on here as I don't hear it from any of my UK family and friends. Is there any recent polling on the subject - a break down by age would be interesting?
I like my ID card, it gives me security.

If we did have ID cards it wouldn’t be a problem. This government is trying to put the cart before the horse.

Bluebelle I was anticipating all this checking taking time at polling stations with no budget for extra staff, hence queues. Our polling station has 0 shelter from the rain.

Comparisons with countries that already have compulsory ID cards are beside the point.

of course they would, in a country that has mandatory ID cards, and having to produce them to police when asked.
we are a different country, different traditions and constitution.
the relationship of the individual with the state is different.

Grantanow

An English friend living in France but without an ID card had to carry his passport as a means of identification which he found a bit inconvenient and he asked the Mayor of his commune if leaving it at home would be a problem if stopped by the gendarmes. The Mayor said, 'No, of course not, you're not black.' This rather suggests that ID is in practice only required of some but not others and is thus a discriminatory practice.

We did have to carry our passports at all times though I used to carry a copy. I have certainly been asked for it. Now we carry our permanent residence cards instead. When I was on the local council we always checked identity cards even though the voting population in our village was about 50 people. I think French people would be shocked at voting without ID cards.

Farzanah

I don’t mind if everyone has an ID card as in Europe, but here where it isn’t policy to have one, it’s discriminatory.

How would it not be discrimatory in Europe but would be in the Uk?

Personally I at this stage am not bothered either way. Mainly because I dont know enough about it.

I do mind about ID cards.
And I also mind about spending money on fixing things that aren't broken.

An English friend living in France but without an ID card had to carry his passport as a means of identification which he found a bit inconvenient and he asked the Mayor of his commune if leaving it at home would be a problem if stopped by the gendarmes. The Mayor said, 'No, of course not, you're not black.' This rather suggests that ID is in practice only required of some but not others and is thus a discriminatory practice.

I don’t know where you live winterwhite but no queues here hardly any people bother to vote

I don’t mind if everyone has an ID card as in Europe, but here where it isn’t policy to have one, it’s discriminatory.

Seems the EU is getting in on the act too (albeit a different topic). There are already ID cards in most European countries. The residents I know over there seem to like having them and say they feel ‘safer’ as checks are made, proof is needed. The Police randomly ask for them occasionally too.

Governments wanting to know who is in their country. I don’t see a problem with it myself. Maybe voter ID is to play catch up with Europe and this this (below) will be next?

www.etias.info/visa-requirements/uk-citizens/#:~:text=Although%20the%20UK%20is%20now,for%20ETIAS%20from%20November%202023

It’s so obvious the shallow reasons behind this “need”for ID, because clearly there wasn’t a major problem with voter fraud. It’s obviously designed to disenfranchise poorer people and students and those without valid ID. Me possibly? I’m unrecognisable from passport/driving license/bus pass photos taken years ago, and I have also grown my hair since lockdown. I wonder how many will be stopped at the polling stations, or will simply not turn up because they haven’t got valid ID. I see trouble ahead!

Funny how money was available for this unnecessary change.

I totally agree actually MaizieD but they are going to do it anyway...

I mentioned this at our WI meeting earlier in the month, and I don't think anyone there thought it applied to them! 'Oh, no dear, I have voted for years, never had to do this before;. Well, a few are going to be in for a shock, unless they turn up to vote equipped with their bus pass or driving licence.

I don't know why Labour aren't making more of a fuss about this; here is an example within my own family; my adult son, when at University; no driving licence, provisional or otherwise, passport left at home in our safe for security reasons, student pass not eligible as voter ID. There again, there aren't many Tories on a university campus are there?

This is also blatant age discrimination as elderly people's bus passes are valid ID, student passes are not. I foresee a bit of a fuss at polling stations, we should be a bit more French in this country, perhaps set a few polling booths on fire to make our disapproval known

Just as the Tories planned

“You might remember that by 1 Feb just 10,000 people had applied for free voter ID. Today, I'm told, it's just over 15,000. At this pace, by May's local elections – 12 weeks away – fewer than 4% of voters believed to lack the necessary ID will have applied. 75,000 out of 2 million”

Peter Walker

There's nothing 'fair and reasonable' at all about requiring voter ID NotSpaghetti.

Check that the ID provided includes a photo that is the good likeness of the elector

I'm now wondering of my 10 year old passport photo (transferred to my driving licence, so that won't help either), which looks very different from how I look now, is going to scrape me through...

(Mind you, they've probably got secret instructions to let the oldies through because the tories think we're likely to vote for them...)

I think there should be women at all polling stations all the time for ID-ing women with face coverings. It's not really good enough to have to "call someone in" from elsewhere.

The Presiding Officer may have contact details for female members of staff...who will be authorised to check photographic ID, and who will be on call to attend polling stations at short notice when a female staffer is requested

I don't think that's fair and reasonable - you should be able to vote when you're there - not wait for someone to come in from outside.