Over 400 residents initially turned away from Preston polling stations over voter ID confusion

Preston Council Town Hall Pic: Tony Worrall

More than 400 Preston residents were initially turned away from polling stations when they tried to vote in last year’s local elections because they had not brought an acceptable form of photo identification with them.

The May 2023 poll was the first time voters had been required to produce ID of any kind to cast their ballot, under rules introduced by the government.

Anybody wanting to vote in-person in elections in England now has to present a photo-bearing document from an approved list, which includes, as options, driving licences, passports, old persons’ bus passes and the new free-to-obtain voter authority certificates.

Of the 419 voters who turned up without the correct ID for the Preston City Council elections last year, around two in three of them – or 257 in total – later returned with suitable proof of their identity and so were able to put their cross in the box. However, 162 did not come back to register their vote – 0.9 per cent of the 17,415 people who headed to the city’s 88 polling stations.

Overall turnout, including postal votes, was marginally down on 2022 from 27.8 per cent to 26.9 per cent.

The most common mistaken form of photo ID presented by Prestonians was a photo pass from their place of work.

The city council is now planning a public information campaign to raise awareness of the requirement for identification ahead of this year’s local and police and crime commissioner elections – and the anticipated general election. It plans to use a grant from the government for adverts on bin lorries in the city and in other public places – and it will also consider sending out guidance to all households in the post.

The authority has been awarded an extra £28,500 to cover the cost of so-called “new burdens” as part of the electoral integrity programme. Preston had previously been handed almost £23,000 under the same scheme, prior to last year’s local elections, which it spent on material including multilingual voter ID leaflets and digital advertising on a city billboard and at Preston North End’s Deepdale stadium. The initial allocation was also used to cover the cost of purchasing new equipment for polling stations, mainly voting booths.

Adrian Phillips, Preston City Council’s returning officer – who is in charge of elections – and the authority’s chief executive told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Data gathered at each polling station found that the vast majority of voters had taken along an acceptable form of ID.

“However, it was found the most common form of identification taken but not on the acceptable list was a work security pass. This tells us that more work needs to be done so our residents are informed about which forms of ID will be accepted when they go out to vote this year, and the funding available via the Electoral Integrity Programme is welcome and will help in spreading this message.

“We want to support all those with the right to vote to have the opportunity to do so and our Electoral Services team are here to help.

“If residents don’t currently have one of the listed items of accepted identification, a voter authority certificate can be applied for at no cost, which will then allow them to take part in this important part of democracy,” Mr. Phillips added.

Subscribe: Keep in touch directly with the latest headlines from Blog Preston, join our WhatsApp channel and subscribe for our twice-a-week email newsletter. Both free and direct to your phone and inbox.