Lib Dems Formally Challenge ID Requirement that goes against national guidelines

Woking Lib Dems have formally requested that Woking's Returning Officer removes the request for additional postal voter identification, from the Council's website. Woking Council is the only one in the country to make this request, which goes against current Electoral Commission guidelines.

The following email was sent on 5 March - to date no reply has been received.

5 March 2021

Dear Mr Morgan and Ms Smith

Photo Identification for Postal Vote Registration

We write regarding the request for photographic identification by Woking Borough Council for those people on the electoral register who are applying for a postal vote.

The latest Woking Borough Council advice on applying for a postal vote states[1]

"you are requested to provide copies of:

• proof of identification such as passport or driving licence
• proof of residence at the property such as utility bill and bank statement.

"The submission of these documents allows us to verify your identity and prevent electoral fraud. If you cannot provide identification documents, your postal vote application will still be processed. However this may take longer whilst we verify your identity from other council sources."

This request for proof of identification goes against the requirement on the application form for a postal vote issued by the Electoral Commission[2].

"Your date of birth and signature are needed on this application form, and again when you use your postal vote. This information is needed to prevent fraud."

The Electoral Commission application form makes clear that the only requirements are the date of birth and signature of the applicant. It is these two items which prevent fraud. There is no requirement to provide additional information other than that on the form.

Furthermore, the Government has recently issued its guidance for the May 2021 elections.[3]

Of particular note in this situation, the guidance states at paragraph 6:-

"Those wishing to use a postal vote should apply early, and Returning Officers should encourage them to do so. Anyone can apply for a postal vote and voters have the option of requesting a postal vote until further notice (a permanent postal vote) or solely for this election, or a particular time period. All existing security measures will remain in place to ensure the integrity of the postal vote process"

Postal votes are to be encouraged by Returning Officers. It is clear that the existing security measures are still required by the Government but also that no additional measures are to be deployed.

We strongly believe that the request for additional identification should be removed from Woking Borough Council's website. We have written to Woking Borough Council making our position clear and asking that the information request should be removed. The Council made only minor alterations in response to our request leaving the final version quoted above.

Given the pandemic restrictions and general caution about wellbeing, there could well be some reluctance to vote in person. There is therefore a high likelihood that many people will wish to use a postal vote in the forthcoming May 2021 elections. To put barriers in the way of qualified electors applying for postal votes will damage our election process. The electorate should be entitled to apply for a postal vote without additional information requests.

Election fraud is always to be avoided but methods to combat this have already been laid out by the Electoral Commission. As far as we are aware, Woking Borough Council is the only council in the country to request additional photographic information.

Please remove the request for additional identification material from Woking Borough Council's website as a matter of urgency.

Regards

Cc Julie Fisher, Chief Executive appointee, Woking Borough Council

[1] https://www.woking.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/elections-and-voting/voting/apply-postal-vote

[2] https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/voting-person-post-or-proxy/voting-post

[3] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/may-2021-polls-delivery-plan/may-2021-polls-delivery-plan