Four people were prevented from voting, in a by-election last month (December) on the Isle of Wight, because they had no photo ID.
On 21st December 2023, Conservative Ed Blake secured 274 votes, with Labour’s Steve Cooper, mayor of Ventnor, finishing second, with 248 votes.
The Liberal Democrat’s Ray Harrington-Vail came in third place with 145 votes.
Fewer than a quarter of those eligible to vote actually turned out and 669 ballot papers out of a possible 2,987 were received — a 22.4 per cent turnout.
Ten voters turned up without ID
The Isle of Wight council has revealed ten people were refused a ballot paper, due to having incorrect or no ID.
Of those, six returned with documentation and went on to vote.
In 2023, the government introduced a requirement for photo ID, saying it wanted to crack down on voter fraud.
Wootton by-election
This was the second time it applied to an election on the Isle of Wight – the first was the by-election in Wootton Bridge in August.
A valid photo ID can be your bus pass, passport or driver’s licence, even if it has expired, as long as the photo looks like you.
Find out more
Find out more about photo ID by visiting the council’s website, where you’ll find information and links, as well as details about how to register to vote.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
