Voter photo ID

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussion' started by Loofah, Oct 15, 2019.

  1. Loofah

    Loofah Admin Staff Member

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    A spin off from the Brexit thread - in the Queens speech there was mentioned photo ID being required for voting in future, how do you feel about that?

    Woking have been trialling this for several years and it's worked well as far as anyone can tell although I have no idea on postal votes... presumably something to do with having a registered postal address to get round the photo ID??
     
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      Last edited: Oct 15, 2019
    • Loofah

      Loofah Admin Staff Member

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      • NigelJ

        NigelJ Total Gardener

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        Why don't we just have ID cards.
         
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        • Loofah

          Loofah Admin Staff Member

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          Because a minority of people have sounded off about civil liberties being infringed and something about Big Brother... no idea. I think they could be a great idea if tied to say usability as a credit card or driving license etc.
           
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          • Scrungee

            Scrungee Well known for it

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            Good idea - one that's tucked away somewhere safe between elections and with a barcode on it that's scanned when you vote, and checked against a computerised database via wifi.

            Now what could go wrong with that?
             
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            • shiney

              shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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              I don't mind the idea of I.D. cards but am concerned that they may become compulsory to carry them. To have an I.D. card just for voting seems OK (as long as they can overcome the postal question) as I know a lot of people that don't have driving licences, passports or credit card. I look after a number of disabled people that have none of these and they always make a postal vote.

              I also know a lot of people that just make a postal vote. This can be because of various reasons. Mainly they are older people (couldn't possibly be referring to myself! :old:) who don't wish to go, or have difficulty getting to, a polling station. Some others of them are lucky enough to be able to be away on holiday on polling day.

              I'm sure the postal vote part can be overcome easily enough but I'm also sure that it would be open to abuse - as it is at the moment.
               
            • Nikolaos

              Nikolaos Total Gardener

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              I object to national ID cards due to implementation costs and the state poking its nose into our affairs in yet another way. But I don't really have a problem with this. Woking pilot sounds like a success. I found this statement interesting: "In our public opinion surveys one non-voter told us that ID was the reason they had not voted."

              https://www.electoralcommission.org...er-identification-pilot-Woking-evaluation.pdf

              Local electoral cards are free, apparently...

              Voter ID | Voter ID | Pendle Borough Council

              Nick
               
            • Mike Allen

              Mike Allen Total Gardener

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              I have long favoured ID cards. Lets be honest, there will probably always be the whiners, always insisting they are being hard done by.
              Yes, I find a lot of todays technology way over my head but an ID card could easily say more than your name and address. I strongly believe that using multple 'chips' on the card, more details records could be included. For instance, a medical chip etc. Each seperate chip only readable by an authorized body. Mentally ill persons could be identified immediately by police and or medics.
               
            • Loofah

              Loofah Admin Staff Member

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              Is peoples aversion to photo ID required for voting actually just an aversion to an ID card? We're talking a small percentage of people that don't have either drivers license or passport surely?
               
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              • Nikolaos

                Nikolaos Total Gardener

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                If you look at the second link I posted, many other forms of photo ID are acceptable, so the percentage is even smaller than that. :)

                Nick
                 
              • Scrungee

                Scrungee Well known for it

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                I still believe barcodes would be best

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                • ARMANDII

                  ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                  Because it can lead down dangerous roads of bureaucracy where if you don't have a ID nothing in Society will function for you. We have lots of none restrictive means of ID such a Car Licences, Cards that we use daily for purchasing, etc. We are photographed every day by Security cameras in the Street, some using facial recognition, vast amounts of your personal data being sifted and sold by commercial organisations every day. If Politicians and Civil Servants have proved that they are only Human and subject to mistakes and bad decisions as they have today why would you trust them to invent a civilisation where only an ID Card will allow you to live your Life normally from day to day. A ID card in America is basically worthless as such cards are routinely forged from State to State and even most Countries where ID cards are used, forgeries can, and are, be bought and sold , for criminal misuse.
                   
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                  • shiney

                    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                    This answers my earlier question. It may also encourage people to vote by post instead of in person.

                    "Postal vote checks

                    You do not need photo ID to vote by post. However, we will be carrying out random checks to ensure that postal voters applied and voted themselves and there was no fraud or undue pressure put on them."

                    I'd be interested to see how they do that! Have they ever done it except when someone has been reported to them?

                    I don't think that will alter the percentages a great deal. :noidea:
                     
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                    • pete

                      pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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                      Anybody know how many people are voting who shouldn't be?
                      Cant think why we have not needed this kind of thing up till now, but now its suddenly needed.

                      I get a polling card sent to me, I take it along and vote, I can't see a problem, that's how I've always done it.

                      I'm not really against ID cards as such, but I'm not keen about paying for something that states who I am, I've been the same person for 65 yrs and not needed one up till now.
                       
                    • shiney

                      shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                      From what I understand, in some areas there were quite a few people who voted using someone else's polling card. I heard that they got hold of them through intimidation.

                      I may have a postal vote in future. I've got fed up opening up our village polling station (I'm in charge of the building) but having to vote in the next village (stupid boundary situation). I only have to open up, about 6 a.m., and show them where everything is but can't even go to my polling station as it doesn't open until later. The village that I have to vote in is one that I never go to. :noidea:

                      You don't have to pay for it, except indirectly through your council tax. You should be eligible for a free bus around now. :old: :heehee: That would also be sufficient for I.D. :blue thumb:
                       
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