Cheshire East residents are being urged to remember their ID when they vote at polling stations tomorrow (4 May).
Voters will need to show photo ID at polling stations before they can receive their ballot paper. This is a new requirement introduced by the UK Government that comes into effect for the first time at elections this week.
Accepted forms of ID include a UK, European Economic Area (EEA) or Commonwealth passport; a UK or EEA drivers' licence; some concessionary travel passes, such as an older person's bus pass; and the new free Voter Authority Certificate. Voters will be able to use expired ID if they are still recognisable from the photo.
Craig Westwood, director of communications, at the Electoral Commission, said: "Anyone voting at a polling station in England will need to show photo ID before they can be given their ballot paper. Before you head to the polling station on 4 May, don't forget to check your bag, wallet, or pocket to make sure you have the ID you need to vote.
"If a voter has concerns about showing their face at a polling station, because they wear a face covering for example, they can ask to have their ID checked in private. They won't need to give a reason for their request or explain why they'd prefer privacy.
"Staff will be trained to handle requests for ID to be checked in private, discreetly and with courtesy."
I have published brief interviews with each of the candidates that responded to my request, in the order in which they were received. Use the tags below to locate the candidate interviews.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
Apparently quite a few people were prevented from voting yesterday because they lacked suitable ID. It would be interesting to know how they would have voted but there's probably no way of collecting such data.
Lata Anderson, RoW 703
Jack Illingworth, Conservative. 481
Olivia Walker, Lib/Dems 132
Spoilt papers 2
Lata Anderson for Residents of Wilmslow has been elected.
I actually share some of your views on the use of Voter ID for in person voting when the problems have been around postal votes.
The polling stations were keeping a track of how many people were turned away through lack of ID, but that doesn't count those who didn't attend the site because they knew they didn't have ID. When I called round 6 polling stations in Wilmslow on Thursday evening, the numbers reported were in single figures for turned away, and some later came back with ID. So maybe the message got out in our area, but it does seem to have been an issue elsewhere.
Interestingly, if the Conservative plan was to exclude certain sections of society, it didn't help their vote share.
I rather liked the cheeky but barbed piece on Radio 4's 'The News Quiz' last night:
"A bus pass counts as ID but a young person's railcard does not. That's just one step away from saying you can only vote on production of your Conservative Party membership card".
On a more serious note, the Electoral Reform Society website carries a petition to get this repressive legislation abolished. Needless to say, I have signed it.
By the way.... well done Residents Of Wilmslow! A superb result!