Number of election voters turned away over ID as MP asks question

It comes as one of the town’s MPs has asked whether the Government will consider removing the requirement to have ID to cast a vote.

Since May 2023, voters have needed to show photo ID to vote in UK parliamentary elections, and for local elections and referendums in England.

The move has proved controversial, with some groups saying it may make voting harder for younger people and ethnic minorities, who are less likely to have a valid form of photo ID.

New figures from the Electoral Commission show 31 voters were initially turned away from polling stations in Warrington North due to ID rules in the General Election this July, and while 27 of these returned to vote, four did not.

The organisation cautions the true number may be higher than this, as some voters may have been told about the ID requirement by staff before they asked for a ballot, and therefore would not have been recorded as being turned away.

In total, 28,771 people voted at 59 polling stations in Warrington North.

It is a similar story in Warrington South, with 23 voters initially turned away, 19 of which returned to vote, with four opting not to bother.

Across 121 polling stations in Warrington South, a total of 32,512 people cast their vote.

Localised figures are not available to paint the picture exclusively for Lymm, which recently moved out of Warrington south to Tatton following a boundary review.

However, the constituency as a whole saw 80 voters turned away, with 65 returning to vote and 15 choosing not to.

In total, 36,973 people voted at 75 polling stations in Tatton.

Statistics show that across Great Britain, 50,000 people were initially turned away due to not having valid ID, with 16,000 people not returning to vote.

However, some polling stations did not submit data on the number of people unable to vote, so the true figure may be higher.

While this was a small proportion of the nearly 20million people who voted at polling stations, the Electoral Commission warned some may have been put off voting by the new rules.

Electoral Commission chief executive Vijay Rangarajan said: "Our research shows that the need for ID discouraged some people from voting – and we do not want to see any voters lose their say.

"Everyone eligible should have the opportunity to vote, which is why we are recommending changes that will support those who do not currently have ID and improve the accessibility of elections, while maintaining the security of the process."

The Labour party's election manifesto committed to ‘addressing the inconsistencies in voter ID rules that prevent legitimate voters from voting’.

The Electoral Commission has called for the Government to review whether a larger number of ID documents could be valid for use in elections – such as the Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card and the 18+ Student Oyster photocard, in addition to the Veteran Card.

Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols recently submitted three questions on voter ID to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

These asked whether the Secretary of State will make it policy to remove the requirement for photo ID at elections, as well as for the potential merits of abolishing the requirement.

In response, Alex Norris, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the housing ministry, said: “The Electoral Commission is the independent electoral regulator and will be reporting on the administration of the May elections and the recent General Election.

“This will include the proportion of individuals turned away for lack of accepted identification.

“We anticipate publication of their initial findings on voter ID later this month and its full election report later in the year.

“In line with our manifesto commitments, we will carefully review the voter ID rules and evaluate how they impacted citizens during the General Election, before bringing forward firm proposals for reform in due course.

“This will of course include full consideration of the Electoral Commission’s findings.”