Photo ID needed for May elections

The local elections for Derbyshire Dales District Council on 4th May will be the first when photo ID will be needed to vote in person. The government claims that this is necessary to combat voter fraud, of which there have been the tiniest number of examples. At the 2019 General Election for example, the Electoral Commission reports that were no cases at all which led to a conviction. Unlike Labour, the Liberal Democrats strenuously opposed this unnecessary measure which is likely to prevent some legitimate electors, particularly younger voters and those from minority groups, from voting. Please note that your polling card and your word will no longer be enough to get your ballot paper.

For photo ID you can show passport, UK driving licence, older or disabled person's bus pass or blue badge, amongst other items that you are less likely to possess. So long as you are still recognisable from the photo, an out-of-date ID may be used. If you do not have one of these, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate. Do this in good time and definitely by 25 April, initially via https://www.derbyshiredales.gov.uk and then clicking on the "Voter ID Requirement" button and following instructions. It is also permissible to use a PASS card available through the Post Office, but for a fee of £15.

You can get around all this by applying for a postal vote, for which photo ID is not needed. Ironically, there have been a few well-publicised cases of voting fraud involving postal votes, but the government has preferred to use an expensive sledgehammer to crack the virtually non-existent nut of in-person election fraud.

If you need help with this, contact us and we will send you the necessary form as an email attachment.