ID required for local council elections

[Humph Warden Bennett]

From our local rag:

http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/bromley/15541564.Voters_in_Bromley_will_need_to_show_ID_to_help_tackle_electoral_fraud/#comments-anchor

This strikes me as Big Brother. Yes I can bring my Passport, but it does not include my address. Yes I have a Driving License, but not everybody holds the same. It smacks of ID cards via the back door.

Anybody disagree?

[floo]

We have a postal vote.

[Robbie]

From our local rag:

http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/bromley/15541564.Voters_in_Bromley_will_need_to_show_ID_to_help_tackle_electoral_fraud/#comments-anchor

This strikes me as Big Brother. Yes I can bring my Passport, but it does not include my address. Yes I have a Driving License, but not everybody holds the same. It smacks of ID cards via the back door.

Anybody disagree?

I live in Bromley too.   Quite agree with every word you say.

[jeremyp]

Every time there is an election, I am astonished that I can walk into the polling station and get a ballot based only on my verbal assurance that I live at my address. I think you should at least have to present your voter card.

As for presenting some other form of id, I think that would extremely difficult. Not everybody has a driving licence or a passport and both of those documents can be legally confiscated by law enforcement organisations, rendering you unable to vote.

[Nearly Sane]

Every time there is an election, I am astonished that I can walk into the polling station and get a ballot based only on my verbal assurance that I live at my address. I think you should at least have to present your voter card.

As for presenting some other form of id, I think that would extremely difficult. Not everybody has a driving licence or a passport and both of those documents can be legally confiscated by law enforcement organisations, rendering you unable to vote.

Agree with lots of this, though given that I only have experience if one political party that didn't use the voter card to vote fraudulently of any scale of party not sure that the first part does anything

[jeremyp]

Agree with lots of this, though given that I only have experience if one political party that didn't use the voter card to vote fraudulently of any scale of party not sure that the first part does anything

I guess, what it comes down to is whether the current level of fraud is worse than the certain disenfranchisement of lots of people if a more robust method of identification is put in place.

[wigginhall]

In the US, this is widely regarded as a way of disenfranchising various groups, such as black people, and also poor and elderly people.  Some states seem to tighten up ID regulations as a way of blocking such votes, so that Democrat votes are reduced.  I have no idea if any such ideas are going around here. 

[Nearly Sane]

In the US, this is widely regarded as a way of disenfranchising various groups, such as black people, and also poor and elderly people.  Some states seem to tighten up ID regulations as a way of blocking such votes, so that Democrat votes are reduced.  I have no idea if any such ideas are going around here.

Which even if they are, have to be balanced, as highlighted by jeremyp, against the ease in which the system can be abused. Note additionally the abuses that happen with postal voting!

[Robbie]

Taking a polling card would do surely?   A lot of people take a utility bill or bank statement as ID which seems reasonable.

[Nearly Sane]

Taking a polling card would do surely?   A lot of people take a utility bill or bank statement as ID which seems reasonable.

All that proves is you have that. Doesn't link to the individual.

[Udayana]

Election ink?

[Nearly Sane]

Election ink?

I think we are back at Floo's micro chipping people with the mark of the beast?