New voter ID laws are a threat to democracy

Starting with the next local elections, the British public will be expected to bring identification with them to the polling booth, in a move that might prevent millions of people from casting their vote. Reportedly, these laws have been introduced to tackle electoral fraud and ensure that voting remains democratic. However, the new Elections Act 2022 has sparked fears of US-style “voter suppression” being introduced to the UK and raised questions about whether it constitutes a new form of gerrymandering. While this voter ID law isn’t a sign of doomsday, it will create more barriers for elections and drive away the (already apathetic) British voter.

Passed last year, the Elections Act 2022 requires voters to show photo ID (including passports, drivers’ licenses, and concessionary travel passes) before they can be issued a ballot paper in polling stations. It’s estimated that somewhere between 925,000 to 3.5 million eligible voters in Britain don’t currently own an accepted form of ID. People without one of these specific forms of ID can apply online or by post for a free Voter Authority Certificate (VAC) to use, but only 29,000 have done so. Critics of the new law have highlighted the vast number of people who may be rendered ineligible to vote by the need to show a photo ID.

The introduction of voter ID laws threaten democracy in the UK without addressing the main causes of fraud

The Conservative Party have used electoral fraud as a justification for bringing in the new laws, despite there being no evidence of large-scale electoral fraud over the last five years. In the UK, the majority of electoral fraud cases that have been uncovered were linked to campaigning (over 50%), rather than voting. Electoral fraud is also more likely to be committed through postal voting, which won’t require identification under the new act. However, the policy is based on a 2014 report from the Electoral Commission, which found the lack of a requirement to show ID at polling stations was an “actual and a perceived weakness” of the British system. Since then, the introduction of ID checks has been part of the Conservative Party’s manifesto commitments.

In addition, the government has cited the number of European countries that use voter ID laws, including the neighbouring France and Germany. Although these examples do demonstrate the success of such laws, the Conservative party fail to mention that many of these countries have national identification cards, which makes it easier to comply with ID laws.

Although it’s important to protect against electoral fraud, the introduction of voter ID laws threaten democracy in the UK without addressing the main causes of fraud. Older people are predicted to be among those most impacted, with those aged 60 to 80 being the least likely to own a driving license – the most common form of identification. Census data from 2021 also shows fewer driving licenses among ethnic minority groups, with 38% of South Asian people and 48% of Black people not owning them. Younger or first-time voters are also expected to be impacted, especially as concessionary travel passes for older people are accepted but not the equivalent for young adults, and Labour have claimed young voters were targeted by the act.

Police have already been alerted to potential violence at polling stations as a result of new voter ID laws

Transgender people also may be less inclined to vote if it requires photo ID, which may be uncomfortable at best and dangerous at worst. Police have already been alerted to potential violence at polling stations during the upcoming elections as a result of the new voter ID laws.

However, low-attention voters will be affected most, since they are likely to be unaware of the need to bring identification when voting. Minor changes, such as changing the location of polling stations or introducing additional requirements, can deter voters from turning out altogether. While pilot studies didn’t see a major impact on turnout, it is hard to predict whether this will be true on a national scale. In many ways, the upcoming local elections will be a pilot study of the effect voter ID laws have on the public, ahead of the next general election.

Having the ability to participate in democracy taken away makes for a dark future in politics

By creating barriers to voting, the need for voter ID will provide a new threat to democracy, as it greatly (and disproportionately) reduces which members of the population will be able to vote. Whether or not it adversely affects one party’s voters is another issue, when it makes it either difficult or impossible for some people to vote; the ability to participate in democracy is a right afforded to the British citizen and having that right taken away makes for a dark future in politics. When electoral fraud won’t be efficiently targeted by this new law, it has to be questioned why the law has been introduced in the first place.

As most people are unaware of this legislature at the moment, it remains to be seen whether there will be a major backlash following the local elections in May. It’s also uncertain whether there will be any changes to the voter ID laws following the first ‘trial run’. No doubt, the next move for (or against) democracy will depend on what happens.