Data on number of people using photo ID in Wyre Forest
News release issued:
Almost all electors voting in polling stations in the Wyre Forest last Thursday (2 May) took an acceptable form of photo ID.
Information released today (Friday 10 May) by the Returning Officer for Wyre Forest, Ian Miller, shows that 99.7% of 9,861 electors voting in Wyre Forest’s 52 polling stations brought photo ID that met the voter ID requirements of the Elections Act 2022.
By the end of the polling day, 29 electors who tried to vote in a polling station were not given a ballot paper because they did not meet the voter ID requirements that came into force in May 2023. This was slightly higher than the equivalent number for May 2023 (22 electors) but represents only 0.3% of electors who asked to be issued with a ballot paper in a polling station. The figures also show that, while 65 electors were initially turned away, 36 returned with acceptable ID and were able to vote. In May 2023, only 32 voters were initially turned away.
The Returning Officer said:
“Even though the change in legislation took effect a year ago, the message still does not appear to have got through to all electors that they need photo ID if they want to be able to vote in person. I am pleased that a very high proportion of electors in Wyre Forest brought suitable photo ID with them. They had heeded the message from local efforts to raise awareness and the national campaigns by the Electoral Commission.
“Efforts will be renewed to raise awareness in the run up to this year’s general election, as it would cause avoidable delay to other voters if hundreds of people were to turn up at polling stations without photo ID. Photo ID is not required for applying for a postal vote: that option remains available for all electors.”