Why today's general election could be a historic event for all the wrong reasons

If some polls are to be believed, today’s general election could be a historic win for Labour, a historic defeat for the Conservatives or both. However, it could also be a landmark in a way no one could possibly celebrate.

The requirement for voters to present photographic identification at polling stations was introduced in the Elections Act 2022, when Boris Johnson was prime minister. However, according to the Electoral Reform Society, more than a million people in the UK may not have an acceptable form of photo ID and, therefore, will not be able to vote.

Others will simply forget to bring their passport, driving licence or whatever they plan to use with them. Indeed, this happened to Johnson when he tried to vote in local elections in May. He was turned away and had to return later with his ID.

Don't forget to take one of the acceptable forms of photo ID when you go to vote (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Thousands turned away from polling stations

Voter ID is designed to prevent someone voting under another person’s name, an incredibly rare crime – according to the Electoral Commission, just five cases of electoral fraud in relation to the 2019 general election resulted in a conviction. Yet when it was first required, at English council elections last year, at least 14,000 people were unable to vote. Many more may have simply not gone to the polling station because they did not have an acceptable document.

However, this is not the only problem threatening the elections. With about a quarter of voters in Scotland planning to use a postal vote, the system has been beset by delays and some people have not received their ballot. It is thought the problems could prove to be significant in 13 Scottish seats where the contests are particularly close, but the true extent of the problems will only emerge after today’s election.

Democratic governments should guarantee people’s right to vote, not put barriers in their way. It is their job to make sure systems like postal voting function effectively. If thousands or, heaven forbid, hundreds of thousands of people are denied their right to vote, one of the new government’s first acts must be to ensure such an appalling scandal never happens again.