For the May 2023 elections a new form of poll card will be necessary to align with the introduction of voter ID in polling stations.
This April, the passing of the Elections Act 2022 has introduced the requirement of identification at polling stations for general elections across all of Great Britain, as well as local elections in England and Police and Crime Commissioner elections in both England and Wales.
The current security system for the process for voter identification and tackling impersonation that is set out in legislation for use at polling stations has seen no significant changes since the Secret Ballot Act 1872, and it is outdated to the point of being almost completely ineffective.[1]
The Elections Bill policy plans are informed by a significant amount of research, including the findings from local elections across 2018 and 2019, as well as photographic identification research carried out by the Cabinet Office [2].
Schedule 1 of the Elections Act 2022 lists the following types of identification that will be accepted at polling stations[3]. The list includes, UK passports, driving license and more.
With a new voter ID act in place global print security firm Zunoma is predicting further changes to voting and election materials in the future. Levels of fraud are currently low, however, every ballot matters and voter ID will protect voters from having their vote stolen.
Zunoma has a long history of working with election bodies and government departments around the world to provide services that help protect democracy, and has worked with Winchester City Council, Great Yarmouth Borough Council, Harlow Council to name a few.
Dinah Ouzman, Head of Strategy at Zunoma, said: “With this new voter ID act in place it is likely that poll cards will take the form of an enveloped letter to accommodate the list of acceptable forms of identification that will need to be effectively communicated to electors, along with the other changes that might be introduced.
“In recent years we have developed a number of market-leading products which have enhanced the accuracy and response from postal voters by providing a clear and easy method of marking and returning a completed postal vote.”
As active members of the Elections Suppliers Group, Zunoma sits at the forefront of the elections market working closely with Cabinet Office officials and other key suppliers.
For more information on how Zunoma can support in all aspects of an election, please visit: www.zunoma.com/security-print-software/government-elections/ or email [email protected].
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/voter-identification-at-polling-stations-and-the-new-voter-card/protecting-the-integrity-of-our-elections-voter-identification-at-polling-stations-and-the-new-voter-card
[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/voter-identification-at-polling-stations-and-the-new-voter-card/protecting-the-integrity-of-our-elections-voter-identification-at-polling-stations-and-the-new-voter-card
[3] https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2022/37/schedule/1