Foord condemns voter ID law as East Devon reveals shockingly low sign-ups

Tiverton & Honiton MP, Richard Foord, has condemned the Conservative Government over their restrictive voter ID law, after East Devon District Council revealed that only 219 residents, or 0.26% of the electorate, applied for a Voter Authority Certificate before the deadline on 24th April. 

The new law requires voters to bring a form of photo ID to the polling station on 4th May, or to present a “Voter Authority Certificate”, otherwise they will be turned away from their polling station. This will be the first test of the law, which was rushed through parliament following trials described by the Electoral Commission as not big enough for conclusions to be drawn.

The release of the figures comes after a YouGov poll found that 16.6% of voters in Tiverton & Honiton did not know about the existence of the policy, and that over-all, fewer than 3,000 over-75s and just over 5,000 under-25s applied for a Certificate, despite being the two groups least likely to vote.   

Local Liberal Democrat MP, Richard Foord, said:
“The new voter ID law is, at its heart, an expensive, bureaucratic, and an anti-democratic imposition by Conservative Party bosses in London who fear losing power above all else.

“The requirement for a ‘Voter Authority Certificate’ further complicates the process, as proven by the figures released by East Devon District Council.

“The fact that only a quarter of one per cent of voters in East Devon applied for a certificate, and that just 26 applications were received on deadline day, shows how much of a mockery this law makes of our democratic processes.

“Given turnout rates, we need to make voting straightforward – for young adults, elderly or those in-between - not introduce restrictions on the ability for people to exercise their democratic will.

“The last thing we should be doing is making people suppose that there is no point in even trying to vote. This would have a detrimental impact on our democracy. The Liberal Democrats have opposed this policy from day one and I will fight scrap these new measures and protect our democracy.”