Boris Johnson, the former Conservative Prime Minister, was turned away from his local polling station due to not bringing appropriate photo identification. As Sky News reported, he returned later with the necessary ID and was then able to vote in South Oxfordshire, where voters are in the process of selecting a police and crime commissioner.
It was Johnson’s government who introduced new rules that require photo ID to vote in the 2022 Elections Act. The change was enforced from May 2023 onward, with the first time voters needed to present their ID. The Electoral Commission disclosed that approximately 14,000 people were unable to vote in last year’s local elections in England due to not providing suitable identification.
There are 22 forms of ID that are acceptable, including passports, driving licences, certain bus passes, and Oyster 60+ cards. However, people who are registered to vote can also request a Voter Authority Certificate for free, which is another valid photo identification.
The government did offer that UK veterans’ identification cards can be added to the official list of acceptable voter identification. After some former service personnel had been turned away from polling stations because their veterans’ cards were not considered sufficient according to electoral regulations, veteran minister Johnny Mercer apologised on social media to one and said that he would look to change the protocols before the next election.
The Electoral Commission data indicated that the majority of people who wanted to vote could vote despite identity verification requirements. However, the organisation is gathering feedback from voters, electoral administrators, campaigners, and partner organisations to address any challenges in participation to support upcoming elections
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