The Government has been urged to reconsider its ID voting trials by campaigners due to the ‘tiny’ amount of electoral fraud.
Analysis by the Electoral Commission of votes conducted in 2017 reveal there were only 28 allegations of ‘personation’ in polling stations. Of these, only one resulted in a prosecution.
The Electoral Reform Society have accused the Government of using ‘a sledgehammer to crack a nut’ when it comes to tackling electoral fraud.
‘These latest figures show just how over-bearing the government’s voter ID plans really are,’ said Darren Hughes, chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society.
‘The number of alleged cases of electoral fraud involving impersonation is actually falling – and yet the government are intent on testing this draconian measure which risks excluding many legitimate voters from our democracy.
‘This will create an additional and significant barrier to legitimate voters – including the millions who do not have any form of photographic ID.’
The Electoral Reform Society says the Government should instead better training and funding of Electoral Registration Officers and police on election day.
