Local elections 2023: ID rules 'may exclude voters in Merseyside'

John Pugh, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said the ruling was ridiculous and unfair

Concerns have been raised by local leaders over the decision not to accept a travel pass for Merseyside as photo ID in May's local council elections.

Voters must have photo ID when they head to the polling stations but the Merseytravel 60+ bus pass is not on the list of acceptable documents.

Wirral Council's Labour leader Janette Williamson said this would exclude voters and cause confusion.

The government said it "cannot be complacent" when ensuring democracy.

Wirral and Liverpool will hold their first ever all-out elections, where every council seat is decided for the next four years.

Other Merseyside councils will see a third of seats up for grabs but there will not be any elections in St Helens.

Following the Elections Act, passed last year, voters must present photo ID from a list of acceptable documents to vote in person at local and general elections.

On the Electoral Commission guidance, one of the documents that can be used is an older person's bus pass.

On Merseyside there are currently two types of passes - one is acceptable while the other is not.

Travel cards for over 60s issued in Wales and Northern Ireland are acceptable.

The local travel pass for everyone over 60 cannot be used as voter ID

Wirral Labour leader Janette Williamson said: "It's only in the small print that it says it has to be a national travel pass, not a local one.

"So here in Wirral that's a red pass, not a yellow one.

"Both are issued by Merseytravel, and people go through the same checks, but one is issued over 60 and the other after state pension age.

"This is going to mean a lot of people losing their right to vote, past the point where they can apply for free council ID or get a postal vote."

Tom Crone, leader of the Green group on Liverpool City Council, said: "We are still being approached by residents who aren't sure if their ID is valid.

"The fact that one type of bus pass is valid, but another isn't means that people could be turned away from polling stations due to an honest mistake.

"Some people might not have the time to return and will therefore be denied their right to vote."

• What photo ID do you need to vote?

• Is there an election in my area?

• When are elections and who can vote?

John Pugh, leader of the Liberal Democrats on Sefton Council, said: "There appears to be no logic whatsoever in them not being allowable.

"It seems both ridiculous and unfair."

But Mike Prendergast, leader of the Conservatives on Sefton Council, said: "I do not think that the principle of voter ID presents a barrier to the democratic process.

"I can understand the rationale for not accepting the Merseytravel pass as an acceptable form of identification, as it is limited to a very specific geographic area.

"The vast majority of people are now in the habit of producing ID for a variety of day-to-day activities. So in practical terms, most people are used to carrying some form of identification with them."

Jemma Jones, assistant executive director for governance and assets at Knowsley Council said: "Travel passes are acceptable, but only if they have the words 'funded by HM Government' which causes a bit of a problem in Merseyside because a lot of people will have Merseytravel's over 60s pass.

"It's not an acceptable form of ID and if anyone attends a polling station they will not be able to use that in this year's elections.

"Unless they have a different form of ID on them, they will not be able to vote."

'Cannot be complacent'

A government spokesperson said: "We cannot be complacent when it comes to ensuring our democracy remains secure.

"Everyone eligible to vote will have the opportunity to do so and 98% of electors already have an accepted form of identification.

"Photo identification has been used in Northern Ireland elections since 2003 and we're working closely with the sector to support the rollout and funding the necessary equipment and staffing."

Postal voting is not affected, and free ID can be applied for from local councils by anyone registered to vote.

The BBC has also approached Merseytravel for a comment.

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