Nearly all voters in Swindon complied with the new photo ID requirements during the recent local elections on 2nd May with Swindon Borough Council reporting that 99.8% of electors brought an approved form of photo identification, marking a slight increase from last year’s 99.7%.
On election day, 32,621 electors cast their votes at 105 polling stations across Swindon for both the Borough Council and Police and Crime Commissioner elections. When combined with postal votes, the total number of votes cast reached 52,343, equating to a 31% turnout, down from 35.46% the previous year.
Despite the high compliance rate, 373 electors were initially turned away for not having the correct ID. However, 81% (302) of these individuals returned with the appropriate identification and were able to vote.
By the end of the day, only 71 electors were unable to vote due to not meeting the ID requirements, which were first implemented in 2022.
To ensure residents were aware of the new voter ID regulations, Swindon Borough Council launched an extensive campaign in February. This initiative included placing information on poll cards sent to all voters before the elections.
Sam Mowbray, Swindon Borough Council’s Returning Officer, commented: “Throughout our borough-wide campaign, we made significant efforts to inform residents about the photo ID requirements leading up to the local elections. It’s fantastic to see that the vast majority of voters came to the polling stations with an approved form of ID.
“While it’s unfortunate to have to turn any elector away, ensuring compliance with the voter ID regulations that came into effect in 2022 was essential. I want to express my thanks to everyone who worked at the polling stations to support these changes.”
Mowbray also reminded residents that they will need to show voter ID for the upcoming general election expected to be called this year. He encouraged those without suitable ID to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate via the Government’s website.
