The Commons Constitutional Affairs Committee has urged ministers to reconsider its plans for voters to be asked to display photo ID at polling stations in order to cast their ballots.
The committee suggested that introducing another hurdle to voting eligibility could lead to reduced turnout at elections, adding that further research must be carried out to understand the effects it would have on different demographics before the plans can be taken further.
If the proposals in the Elections Bill - which is currently at its report stage in Parliament - are passed, voters will need to display photo ID at polling stations when casting ballots in UK general elections, local elections in England, and police and crime commissioner elections in England and Wales.
The move would bring England in line with Northern Ireland, where photo ID has been obligatory at polling booths since 2003. Photo ID is not currently required to vote in England, Wales and Scotland.
In a report, the committee suggested that a “significant number of people” may not vote because of the rule, and there needed to be more research into how it would impact people with so-called “protected characteristics” including sex, race, age and disability.
The committee also said that there was “currently no evidence” to suggest that voter fraud is currently prevalent enough to justify such reforms.
However, ministers maintain their view that introducing photo ID as an additional step will help safeguard electoral processes against voter fraud.
The Bill stipulates that ID cards such as driver’s licenses and UK, Commonwealth or European Economic Area passports would be accepted, as well as photo travel passes and disabled parking badges.
There are also plans to introduce a special voter ID card, which individuals can apply for and will be accepted at polling stations when displayed.
Official assessments suggest that the voter ID card scheme could cost the government as much as £15 million, with no costs being incurred to those applying for them. The total cost of introducing photo ID could rise to as much as £120 million over ten years.
Meanwhile, the committee has argued that university cards or photo ID cards issued by any other public body should also be included on the list of accepted forms of ID if the proposals are passed.
While the Labour Party believes that requiring photo ID would be an act of “blatant voter suppression” and deter marginalised groups from voting, ministers argue that its free voter ID card scheme will prevent people from being disenfranchised.
Official survey data indicates that 98 per cent of voters already hold some form of photo ID.
