Photo ID will be required to vote in next year’s election (Debate)

Tue 31 Jan 2023, 10:14 (last edited on Tue 31 Jan 2023, 10:42)

Michael, if you are querying the phrasing about postal voting, then later down the WODC page it says: 

"Does this affect postal voting?

Postal voters already provide signature and date of birth identifiers and will not be affected by these changes. ... "

The WODC page is here: https://www.westoxon.gov.uk/about-the-council/elections-and-voting/voter-id-what-you-need-to-do-for-the-may-2023-elections/

Those voting as a proxy on behalf of somebody else do need (their own, not the voter's) photo ID.

I have edited my earlier comments on postal voting, to try to prevent any confusion. 

The electoral commission site is here: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/voter-id?gclsrc=aw.ds

The list of accepted forms of photo ID is here: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/voter-id/accepted-forms-photo-id

It lists numerous types, including (but not limited to) photo driving licenses, UK passports, blue badge, Older Person’s Bus Pass, Disabled Person’s Bus Pass, Oyster 60+ Card, Freedom Pass, Identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card).

Also Biometric immigration document, Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card), National identity card issued by an EEA state.

All this is in addition to the new Voter Authority Certificate obtainable from WODC and from other places as well.

The Electoral Commission website also states "You will only need to show one form of photo ID. It needs to be the original version and not a photocopy." It also states: "You can still use your photo ID if it's out of date, as long as it looks like you. The name on your ID should be the same name you used to register to vote."

Info on the PASS Cards (which includes a hologram) is here: https://www.pass-scheme.org.uk/card-suppliers/ Many young people will already have one of these.

The Post Office PASS card is called The Citizen Card which states: "If you have a current or expired passport, photo driving licence or senior citizen bus pass you can use it as voter ID at the May local and General Elections. If not get a free PASS Card with code FREEVOTERID at https://citizencard.com Valid for all UK voters 18-118."