The government's new rule came into effect for the first time at the local elections
Around 14,000 people were unable to vote in England's local elections due to a lack of acceptable photo ID, according to a study by the Electoral Commission which examined the ramifications of the new voter identification rules brought in by the government.
Craig Westwood, director of communications at the independent body overseeing elections, raised concerns about the evidence suggesting that disabled and unemployed individuals were more likely to cite ID-related issues as a reason for not voting. Westwood said there was 'concerning' evidence to suggest that disabled and unemployed people were 'more likely than other groups to give a reason related to ID for not voting'.
Criticism of the voter ID policy has been voiced by former cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg, who implied that it was an unsuccessful attempt at "gerrymandering" by the Tories. Research conducted by the Electoral Commission indicated that 0.7% of people were initially turned away from polling stations in May, but around two-thirds of them returned later in the day and were able to cast their votes.
Although close to 90,000 individuals applied for a voter authority certificate before the deadline, only 25,000 were utilized as a form of ID on the day of the elections. Mr Westwood acknowledged that while the majority of voters were able to present an accepted form of ID, it was necessary to understand the challenges faced by those who lacked ID and make recommendations to support the participation of all voters.
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