Recommendation 4

It is imperative to ensure elections are secure against fraud and protect public confidence in the electoral process. However, any measure seeking to increase the security of elections must not make voting inaccessible or have a discriminatory impact. Any measure that has the potential to disproportionately impact certain groups of voters requires strong justification. The Government must explain why they have concluded that a voter ID requirement at polling stations is necessary and proportionate given (i) the low number of reported cases of fraud at polling stations, (ii) the even lower number of convictions and cautions; (iii) the potential for the requirement to discriminate against certain groups; and (iv) the lack of any clear measures to combat potential discrimination faced by those groups, including disabled people and older people.