Number caught out is higher than in first trial of compulsory voter ID last year

More than 800 people were unable to vote during a second trial of compulsory voter ID at this month’s local elections, according to interim figures.

Across the eight out of 10 test areas that have so far given figures, 819 people were turned away from polling stations and did not return, according to the Local Government Chronicle (LGC).

The average of 102 per area compares to 70 in the first trial last year, when 340 people were unable to vote in the five councils trialling the system.

Labour and election organisations renewed their condemnation of the government’s planned national rollout of compulsory voter ID, which critics say disproportionately affects vulnerable voters and tackles a negligible problem.

On Sunday in a joint letter to the government, Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the SNP, Plaid Cymru and the Greenssaid the voter ID plan was “a blatant attempt by the Conservatives to rig the result of future elections by making it harder for people to vote”.

In the second phase of the pilot scheme, voters in Broxtowe, Craven, Derby, North Kesteven and Braintree had to show one item of photo ID or two items of non-photo ID. In Mid Sussex, North West Leicestershire and Watford the requirement was for the poll card or photo ID, and in Pendle and Woking only photo ID was permitted.

The figures show that the first of these systems led to more people being denied a vote. Derby had the highest number turned away, 258, and Craven had the greatest proportion, at 0.69% of all those trying to vote.

The LGC noted that even relatively small numbers could have affected the results, using the example of Mid Sussex, where 78 people were unable to vote and in three wards a candidate won by fewer than 25 votes.

However, returning officers told the LGC they were happy with the trial. Craven’s returning officer, Paul Shevlin, said: “It’s a good sign that the turnout was very similar to the last comparable elections in 2016, and actually increased in some wards, showing that people were not deterred from voting.”

Charities and other groups are concerned that the policy could disproportionately affect voters who are older, are homeless or have a disability.

They also argue that voter impersonation, which the ID scheme is intended to combat, is a tiny problem. A recent study found just eight such allegations at the 2018 local elections, 3% of all reported electoral offences, and no action was taken over seven of them.

Darren Hughes, the chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society, said the figures “pose a stark warning about the government’s undemocratic push for mandatory voter ID”.

He said: “This ‘show your papers’ policy presents an unprecedented risk to democratic access and equality. Possession of ID is not universal, with millions of people lacking the required forms of identification. If rolled out nationwide, mandatory voter ID could see tens of thousands of legitimate voters made voiceless.”

Cat Smith, the shadow Cabinet Office minister, said: “As we feared, legitimate and honest voters have been denied their right to vote because of these undemocratic and unpopular pilot schemes. Time and time again Labour has warned that voter ID will make it harder for people to vote, but the Conservatives have pushed on with their blatant attempt to rig the result of future elections by voter suppression.”