Voter ID: One in four unaware they need ID to vote in May elections

Almost a quarter of people still do not know that photo ID is required to vote in the upcoming local elections, the Electoral Commission has said.

For the first time, everyone voting in person in English local elections on 4 May will need to show identification.

Craig Westwood, from the Electoral Commission, said it was focused on how the new system “can be delivered well”.

But local councils have warned that election staff could be “overwhelmed” dealing with the new rules.

The Local Government Association (LGA) – which represents local authorities – said the practical difficulties faced by councils to bring about these rule changes “should not be underestimated”.

The new rules mean that voters in England need to take photo ID to get their ballot papers in local elections, police and crime commissioner elections, and parliamentary by-elections.

However, it is thought more than one million of eligible voters do not currently have accepted forms of photo proof.

For people who do not have the right photo ID they can apply for a free voter ID document – a “voter authority certificate” – from their local council.

The deadline to register for one of these is 25 April – but government data shows just 60,368 people have applied since the scheme was launched.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, Mr Westwood said that voters often “respond late” ahead of elections and “we always see a very significant spike in the days leading up to the deadline”.

The communications director said the Electoral Commission had been running a campaign since January to make sure people were aware of this change.

“The awareness in the public has gone up from 22% to 76% over that period and that’s still with a month to go,” he added.

Mr Westwood said “people understand” the new photo ID rules, adding that applications for the free voter authority certificate were increasing “day by day”.

He also said there would be more staff at polling stations during the local elections in May.

Officials, who will be called “greeters”, will be positioned outside polling stations to “make sure that people are definitely aware of the ID requirement”, he added.

There are 22 forms of accepted ID that can be used in polling stations including passports, driving licences and blue badges – as well as the free voter ID certificate.

From October the compulsory voter ID rules will also apply to any future general elections. Photo ID is not required for postal votes.