Voter ID and publication of figures

The local elections in 2023 was the first time voters at polling stations were required to bring photo ID with them when voting.

The Electoral Commission has said the following data with regards to voter ID can be shared:

• The number of electors who applied for, but were not issued with, a ballot paper (due to voter ID)
• The number of electors who were not issued with a ballot paper and who later returned with accepted ID and were issued with a ballot paper 

This can be broken down at a borough-wide and ward level.

There is more information in this guidance note from the Electoral Commission to returning officers 

The borough and ward-level data is contained in the tables below.

Borough

Total number of electors in Charnwood who were eligible to vote in person at polling stations	Number of voters in Charnwood who were issued ballot papers at polling stations	The number of electors in Charnwood who applied for, but were not issued a ballot paper (due to voter ID)	The number of electors in Charnwood who were not issued with a ballot paper and who later returned with accepted ID and were issued with a ballot paper
111,910	28,383	69	29

 Ward-level data

WARD	Total number of electors in the ward who were eligible to vote in person at polling stations	Number of voters in the ward who were issued with ballot papers at polling stations	The number of electors in the ward who applied for, but were not issued a ballot paper (due to voter ID)	The number of electors in the ward who were not issued with a ballot paper and who later returned with accepted ID and were issued with a ballot paper
Anstey	5,111	1,313	3	2
Barrow upon Soar	4,336	1,162	0	0
Birstall East & Wanlip	4,537	1,128	4	3
Birstall West	4,589	1,289	2	2
Dishley, Hathern & Thorpe Acre	5,755	1,687	6	1
Forest Bradgate	2,082	744	0	0
L’borough Ashby	4,957	952	10	4
L’borough East	7,248	1,695	9	2
L’borough Nanpantan	2,333	902	0	0
L’borough Outwoods & Shelthorpe	6,495	1,719	4	2
L’borough Southfields	3,582	971	3	0
L’borough Storer	4,084	725	4	2
L’borough Woodthorpe	2,548	681	0	0
Mountsorrel	4,836	1,064	0	0
Quorn & M’sorrel Castle	4,613	1,338	0	0
Rothley Brook	5,130	1,423	1	0
Shepshed East	4,886	950	0	0
Shepshed West	4,705	982	0	0
Sileby & Seagrave	6,110	1,455	7	4
South Charnwood	775	199	0	0
Syston	7,236	1,569	11	4
The Wolds	2,125	765	2	2
Thurmaston	6,301	1,466	2	0
Wreake Valley	7,536	2,204	1	1

Extra staff at polling stations

In line with advice and guidance from the Electoral Commission/Association of Electoral Administrators (AEA), the Council deployed extra staff to polling stations.

Some polling stations used these extra members of staff to meet and greet voters and remind them of the new law which requires them to have photo ID with them. The aim of these staff members was to support the smooth administration of polling station voting.

The Elections Act and the Voter Identification Regulations 2022 require polling station staff to collect data on the people that cannot be issued a ballot paper because they were unable to provide an accepted form of ID. This included data on people who were turned away and later returned to the polling station with accepted ID.

Legally, this information can only be recorded by a poll clerk or presiding officer when a voter requests a ballot paper at the issuing desk, and cannot be gathered by a greeter at the entrance.

This letter from the Electoral Commission to Mr Clive Betts MP - Chair of the Levelling up, Housing and Communities Committee explains more about this topic.