Pensioners may feel that they are having a rough time right now. Following the rise in the pension age, abandoning free TV licences for over 75s, the recent broken pledge on the triple lock, proposals on reducing the age for free prescriptions, and now photo ID needed to be able to vote where many pensioners do not pocess a passport or driving license.

In the recent Queen’s Speech, the Government formally announced their plans to introduce mandatory Voter ID at the next election.

This policy requires voters to present photo ID to vote at polling stations in future elections.

Labour have called on the Conservatives to urgently rethink the policy, raising concerns that the policy will reverse decades of democratic progress and threaten to bar millions of people from exercising their democratic right to vote.

Since this policy was first announced in December 2016, the Government has received multiple warnings from charities, civil society figures and campaign groups that mandatory voter ID – if rolled out nationally – could pull up the drawbridge for millions of voters.

West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper, responding to the Government’s announcement of introducing Voter ID at elections, said:

“Voter ID is a total waste of taxpayers’ money. The policy is set to cost millions of pounds at every election.

“Voting is safe and secure in Britain. Ministers should be promoting confidence in our elections instead of spreading baseless scare stories which threaten our democracy.

“Millions of people lack photo ID in this country – in particular the elderly, low income and Black, Asian and ethnic minority voters. The Conservatives are reversing decades of democratic progress and urgently need to rethink this pointless policy.”

“I remain deeply concerned about these plans and believe the government is exaggerating a minuscule proportion of fraudulent votes.

“While I welcome a commitment to funding a free ID card for those without photo ID, I still believe that many will find it harder to vote as a result of this legislation. Restricting access to the ballot box in the name of greater security is a deeply cynical move by a government that is happy to rig the game to keep winning.”

Everyone accepts that you need a photo ID to travel abroad (passport), or a driving licence to prove you are allowed on the roads, so whats the difference? You even need a photo ID to claim a parcel from the sorting office these days.

All you are doing is proving you are who you say you are, so whats the problem ?

Originally Posted by Blackrock

Everyone accepts that you need a photo ID to travel abroad (passport), or a driving licence to prove you are allowed on the roads, so whats the difference? You even need a photo ID to claim a parcel from the sorting office these days.

All you are doing is proving you are who you say you are, so whats the problem ?

This is a terrible move that will badly impact voters who are from underrepresented and marginalised backgrounds. It is voter suppression.
The argument against voter ID is clear: With very few cases of voter fraud, photo ID verification on a national scale would be disastrous and would see so many more people left out of the decision-making process.
The numbers make this obvious. 3.5 million people currently do not have access to photo ID and 11 million people currently do not have a passport or driving license.
Even Matt Hancock, a government minister, admitted there were just six cases of voter fraud at the last election. It’s not a big enough problem to justify disenfranchising millions of people.

It’s simply untrue to say you need photo ID to collect a parcel from the post office. You don’t!

To collect a parcel from a Post Office, you’ll need some proof of identity, as well as the tracking ID. It could be a full driving licence, passport or any of the list below. Just make sure it’s the original (not a copy) and for the person the parcel’s addressed to.

We’ll accept any of these:
• Digital ID - Post Office EasyID or Yoti
• Birth certificate
• Building society book
• Cheque book
• Cheque guarantee card
• Council tax payment book
• Credit card
• Credit card statement (no older than 6 months)
• Debit card
• Full driving licence
• Marriage certificate
• Military photo ID
• Police Warrant Card
• Foreign national identity card
• National Savings bank book
• Valid passport
• Paid utilities bill (no older than 6 months)
• Standard acknowledgement letter (SAL) issued by the Home Office for asylum seekers
• Trade union card

https://www.postoffice.co.uk/mail/collection-services

Originally Posted by Blackrock

Everyone accepts that you need a photo ID to travel abroad (passport), or a driving licence to prove you are allowed on the roads, so whats the difference? You even need a photo ID to claim a parcel from the sorting office these days.

All you are doing is proving you are who you say you are, so whats the problem ?

Travelling abroad and driving are a choice and those documents cost money.
Voting is a right and should not cost a penny.
You don't need photo ID to collect a parcel, just something with your name on.

Before he died my ex father in law, age 90, who I would see often, we thought we would put in a couple of hundred pound each in bitcoins out of interest and as a topic for watching how they fared as a topic of good interest and conversation.

I did it no with coinbase (a reputable crypto platform) but he couldn't as no photo id. They would not allow him to set up an account without either passport or driving license - neither of which he possessed.

Being partially blind and ill he always did voting by post. How does that work with photo id I wonder?

Originally Posted by steve

Before he died my ex father in law, age 90, who I would see often, we thought we would put in a couple of hundred pound each in bitcoins out of interest and as a topic for watching how they fared as a topic of good interest and conversation.

I did it no with coinbase (a reputable crypto platform) but he couldn't as no photo id. They would not allow him to set up an account without either passport or driving license - neither of which he possessed.

Being partially blind and ill he always did voting by post. How does that work with photo id I wonder?

To vote here has always required photo ID and proof of residence. It's easy with a driver's licence, as that has both your photo and your address. If you don't have a licence you have to provide photo ID and another piece of ID, such as a utility bill, to prove where you live. People who don't have a licence or a passport can use their health card, which has a photo, but no address. There's also the option of getting a government issued ID card which has both. A lot of seniors take this option.

I voted by mail last week for the upcoming general election. I did it all online and had to attach a photo of my ID. It's not a problem for a senior like me, but not all seniors are as fortunate. They have the option to get a paper application for a mail in ballot, but will need to attach photos of their ID. It might be a difficult process for many seniors, and, sadly, not all seniors have someone to help them through it.

TBH I've never thought of providing ID as an imposition, but I can see why it could be a problem for some of the electorate. I've never heard anyone complaining, but that could be due to it being the standard procedure for a long time.