Title

ELECTIONS

4.5% of voters without ID apply for certificate

Just 89,502 applications had been made before the deadline - representing 4.5% of the estimated two million people who do not possess photo ID required to vote in person.

Less than 5% of people thought to lack valid ID have applied for a voter authority certificate ahead of next week's elections.

Just 89,502 applications had been made before the deadline  - representing 4.5% of the estimated two million people who do not possess photo ID required to vote in person.

Fears of a last-minute surge that could swamp council staff did not materialise, reaching a national high of 4,877 on the final day.

However, the Association of Electoral Administrators (AEA) has reported a spike in postal vote applications this year, which is thought to be partly linked to the new voter ID rules.

AEA deputy chief executive Laura Lock said: ‘This may, in part, be due to people taking advantage of time away between consecutive bank holiday weekends, but in many areas political parties have been actively promoting absent voting options.'

Concerns remain over staff recruitment - a long-standing trend that has become more acute this year.

Ms Lock added: ‘Recruiting and training replacement staff becomes more problematic this close to polling day and election teams are working incredibly hard to keep numbers up for 4 May.'

Chair of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee, Clive Betts, has written to Electoral Commission chair John Pullinger to raise his concerns about the accuracy of data collection.

Mr Betts said recording the number of people turned away at the desk - rather than by any greeters outside polling stations - ‘presents a clear risk to the credibility of any recorded data and therefore any assessment of the true impact of voter ID on voter turnout'.

A spokesperson for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said voter ID was necessary to ‘keep our democracy secure' and ‘prevent the potential for voter fraud,' and the vast majority of voters already had an accepted form of identification.

They added: ‘The Government has also been working closely with local authorities and other partners to raise awareness, including a widespread public information campaign led by the Electoral Commission.'

ELECTIONS

Governing through uncertainty – what happens next?

By Tim Farr | 04 June 2026

In an era of permanent uncertainty, Tim Farr assesses the challenges many local authorities, chief executives and senior leadership teams are now navigating,...

ELECTIONS

In local government, wisdom cannot be gained without sacrifice

By Blair McPherson | 01 June 2026

People still want leaders who listen, notice problems early and recognise the difference between reassuring information and uncomfortable reality, says Blair...

ELECTIONS

Moving away from care hierarchies to better support children and young people

By Dheeraj Chibber | 29 May 2026

Children and young people need a care system that is flexible enough to serve their needs and best interests as individuals says Dheeraj Chibber.

ELECTIONS

Children's services: Navigating the challenge of LGR

By Emmet Regan | 27 May 2026

Emmet Regan says that as the next stages of local government reorganisation get underway, the road ahead will not be easy. But with the right leadership, vi...

Martin Ford

Popular articles by Martin Ford