Voter impersonation comprised just 3% of all alleged electoral offences at last year’s council elections, campaigners have said, warning that an extended trial of compulsory voter ID at Thursday’s local polls is a counterproductive waste of time.

An analysis by the Electoral Reform Society (ERS) found that of 266 allegations investigated by police at the 2018 local and mayoral elections, eight involved claims of voter impersonation, which voter ID is intended to reduce.

Of the eight cases, no action was taken in seven, and one was resolved locally. In contrast, 140 of the allegations were about campaigning offences.

At last year’s elections, voters in five council areas of England were obliged to show varying forms of ID before they could vote for the first time, despite concerns from charities and other groups that this could disproportionately affect more vulnerable voters, such as those who are older or homeless, or have a disability.

None of the five boroughs taking part in the trial last year had experienced a single instance of polling station impersonation in the past decade, while one had a single allegation – in 2006 – which was dealt with by a police caution. This prompted campaigners to call the trial a waste of time and money.

At Thursday’s local elections, voters will need to show ID in 10 districts – Braintree, Broxtowe, Craven, Derby, Mid-Sussex, North Kesteven, North West Leicestershire, Pendle, Watford, and Woking. Depending on the area, people will have to show their polling card, or one piece of photo ID, or two without a photo.

Quick Guide Local elections 2019 Show Which seats are up for grabs? More than 8,200 seats are up for grabs – and half of them are Conservative seats – so the elections will be a key test for Theresa May. Candidates are contesting 248 English local councils and all 11 local councils in Northern Ireland.



There are also elections for six directly elected mayors – in Bedford, Copeland, Leicester, Mansfield, Middlesbrough and North of Tyne. No elections are taking place in London, Scotland or Wales.



More than half the councils – 134 – are controlled by the Tories, 67 by Labour. Seven are held by the Lib Dems and 35 have no overall control. The remaining five are new councils, owing to local authority mergers. When will we get the results? About half of councils’ votes are being counted overnight, with results expected from midnight. The other half will start being counted on Friday morning. Turnout is expected to be low – multiple party sources have said there is a general feeling of apathy and anger with politicians from across the spectrum. What are the key battlegrounds for the Tories? The Tories have quietly briefed that they are expecting a drubbing, which could mean council gains for both Labour and the Lib Dems. The Tories are hoping to make some gains in places where they are just a few seats from winning control – just one seat is needed to gain Scarborough or two to gain Thurrock. Dudley and Walsall are also councils that will be a narrow fight between Labour and the Tories. What are the key battlegrounds for Labour? Key targets for Labour are Calderdale, Redcar and Cleveland and Trafford, all Labour minority councils, as well as Stoke-on-Trent and Derby, two councils controlled by a coalition of Tories, independents and smaller parties. Ukip is putting up a big fight in Derby, however. Labour could also snatch Peterborough back from the Tories by forming a coalition with the Lib Dems if both parties have a good night. They also have high hopes of increasing their narrow majority in Plymouth. Jessica Elgot, chief political correspondent Photograph: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images Europe

Labour and the ERS have called on the government to abandon the idea. The government says it is closely monitoring the process, and that there was no evidence of people being put off from voting in the 2018 trial.

Jess Garland, head of policy and research at the ERS, said: “Forcing all voters to show their papers at the polling station is a solution looking for a problem. Across the UK there were just eight allegations of ‘personation’ last year – the type of fraud voter ID is supposed to target. It is time for the government to listen to the evidence.

“As the Electoral Commission have made clear, there is no evidence of widespread electoral fraud in the UK. Yet the government are failing to deal with the real democratic problems we face, from dangerous loopholes allowing foreign donations and interference to worryingly low turnout in council elections.

”Rather than spending up to £20m per election on making it harder to vote, we should be encouraging participation and ensuring online campaign rules are fit for the 21st century.”

Cat Smith, the shadow Cabinet Office minister, who leads on voter issues, said: “At a time when millions of people are missing from the electoral roll, it takes a special kind of ignorance for the government to be trying to make it harder for people to vote.

“These voter ID pilots are a total waste of money and will negatively impact ethnic minority communities, older people, disabled people and students.”

A Cabinet Office spokeswoman said: “Electoral fraud is an unacceptable crime that strikes at a core principle of our democracy; that everyone’s vote matters. Showing ID to vote is a reasonable way to stop this and is something people already do every day, when they pick up a parcel at the post office, claim their benefits, or take out a library book.”