Photo Id To Vote - Voter Suppression Or Election Fraud Prevention?

[GabrielC 53]

In the Queens Speech the government want to bring out photo ID for voting  on the surface it seems nothing to ask.

 

But I have never seen any reports highlighting election fraud or seen any evidence that such fraud effects an outcome of a election. The question then becomes why now ? 

 

Granted I'm sure most people have photo ID which could be a driving licence or an passport but not everyone has these the reasons are many or simply can not afford to pay for it.

 

I do suspect the move is designed to give the Tories an edge in elections like the moving of election boundaries to give them a possibly ten seats more majority.  Will the government give free photo ID  to people who can not afford an passport or have we become pay for your vote democracy?.

[classicfan 15]

I am more concerned with the pathetically low turnouts at elections than identifying the individual casting a vote. I agree it shouldn't be a cause for concern given this fact. I would favour compulsory voting. The boundary changes certainly were designed to give the Tories an advantage in Rotherham and it worked with devastating effect.

[GabrielC 53]

26 minutes ago, classicfan said:

I am more concerned with the pathetically low turnouts at elections than identifying the individual casting a vote. I agree it shouldn't be a cause for concern given this fact. I would favour compulsory voting. The boundary changes certainly were designed to give the Tories an advantage in Rotherham and it worked with devastating effect.

Yes voter turn out is lower than it should but I do think it suits the Tories who supporters are mostly the older generation . We do need to encourage more to vote.

[sheffbag 227]

30 minutes ago, classicfan said:

I am more concerned with the pathetically low turnouts at elections than identifying the individual casting a vote. I agree it shouldn't be a cause for concern given this fact. I would favour compulsory voting. The boundary changes certainly were designed to give the Tories an advantage in Rotherham and it worked with devastating effect.

What a load of rubbish. How can they do that? Did they know where the Tory voters lived (no, no one does) so created wards to cover the main strongholds

 

In the last set of elections in 2016 the Conservatives got 11, 871 votes in total across the whole of the borough.

In 2021 just in the first 8 alphabetical Wards alone they got 13,916 votes. RMBC still havent released the summary for some reason. 

The truth is more people voted Conservative this time because they are either sick of Labour taking them for granted or the Tory vote appealed to them in general.

 

I would agree with compulsory voting though

 

Many countries around the world require photo ID to vote (France, Germany, Brazil, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Sweden, Many parts of the US) so what's the problem here?

 

[GabrielC 53]

3 minutes ago, West 77 said:

Voters in Northern Ireland where there are no Tory MPs  have needed photo ID for a long time.  It's ludicrous to use the reason you haven't seen any reports highlighting voter fraud as a reason not to introduce photo ID because anyone committing election fraud will be getting away with it.  Also the cost of photo ID for anyone without a passport or driving licence will be free.  The move simply is to reduce voter fraud and no other motive.

 

Just for completeness my passport is out of date and my driving licence is the old style without a photo meaning I've  no  valid photo ID.   This became a problem for me recently when eBay asked me to prove my identity with a form of photo ID.  The truth is in the modern World we live photo ID  is becoming essential in order not to suffer hassle.  Also it makes sense for everyone to have photo ID in order for people to prove they are entitled to live in the UK because there are too many people living here illegally. 

Were have you seen that the government will be providing free ID not see that one? 

[HeHasRisen 3,373]

Surely the percentage of people who dont have photo ID at the moment is tiny?

 

Passports, driving licenses, provisional driving licenses, expired versions of those three, disabled and elderly bus passes surely will be accepted (they have photos on them yes?), the citizen ID cards that bars and pubs accept will also be accepted here, will work passes with photos on them be accepted? 

 

That doesn't leave many people excluded and lets be honest, most people who dont want some form of photo ID are usually the group of people who are trying to stay under the radar and/or have something to hide and dont vote anyway.

 

In addition, whats stopping these people who dont have photo ID applying for postal voting and voting that way? Nobody is being disenfranchised for crying out loud.  Northern Ireland has been asking for ID for years.

Edited May 13, 2021 by HeHasRisen

[Thirsty Relic 208]

33 minutes ago, GabrielC said:

Were have you seen that the government will be providing free ID not see that one? 

Apparently that is part of the plan:

 

"Under the scheme, anyone who does not have photographic ID will be able to apply for a free document proving their identity."

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/voter-id-photo-uk-government-conservatives-queens-speech-elections-polling-a9154936.html

Of course, people who are against the idea of ID-cards (that Governments have been trying to get and people have rejected previously) won't be rushing to get them!

 

 

[the_bloke 17]

A lot of Western countries require ID to vote. Are they also run by the evil Conservative Government?

[tinfoilhat 11]

50 minutes ago, sheffbag said:

What a load of rubbish. How can they do that? Did they know where the Tory voters lived (no, no one does) so created wards to cover the main strongholds

 

In the last set of elections in 2016 the Conservatives got 11, 871 votes in total across the whole of the borough.

In 2021 just in the first 8 alphabetical Wards alone they got 13,916 votes. RMBC still havent released the summary for some reason. 

The truth is more people voted Conservative this time because they are either sick of Labour taking them for granted or the Tory vote appealed to them in general.

 

I would agree with compulsory voting though

 

Many countries around the world require photo ID to vote (France, Germany, Brazil, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Sweden, Many parts of the US) so what's the problem here?

 

They'll have an idea from council elections. Shave off a solid Labour (or tory) wards from constituency to another - it's not hard to work out.

[whiteowl 54]

8 minutes ago, Thirsty Relic said:

Apparently that is part of the plan:

 

"Under the scheme, anyone who does not have photographic ID will be able to apply for a free document proving their identity."

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/voter-id-photo-uk-government-conservatives-queens-speech-elections-polling-a9154936.html

Of course, people who are against the idea of ID-cards (that Governments have been trying to get and people have rejected previously) won't be rushing to get them!

 

 

I've nothing against ID-cards per se, I have a passport and driving licence and I generally carry my driving licence with me as it fits in my wallet nicely. An ID card would just be another tool in case I need it.

 

I just don't like the idea of being forced to carry ID at all times - it smacks of "show me your papers" to me.

 

As for ID to vote, I think it's using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. The problem is so small, it's not worth the effort.

[tinfoilhat 11]

Just now, whiteowl said:

I've nothing against ID-cards per se, I have a passport and driving licence and I generally carry my driving licence with me as it fits in my wallet nicely. An ID card would just be another tool in case I need it.

 

I just don't like the idea of being forced to carry ID at all times - it smacks of "show me your papers" to me.

 

As for ID to vote, I think it's using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. The problem is so small, it's not worth the effort.

9 times since 2016. Last organisation to break electoral law and referred to the police? Vote Leave. Where are they now? Running the country.

[HeHasRisen 3,373]

11 minutes ago, whiteowl said:

 

 

I just don't like the idea of being forced to carry ID at all times - it smacks of "show me your papers" to me.

 

 

You dont know that isnt happening here, right? Its a case of carrying ID for the journey to the polling station and back, once a year, maybe twice at a push, for about half an hour each time.

 

If you still dont like the idea of this, apply for postal voting.