ALMOST all electors voting in polling stations across Wyre Forest earlier this month took an acceptable form of photo ID.

The returning officer for Wyre Forest, Ian Miller, has released information about the number of people who brought photo ID to the polling station for local elections on Thursday, May 4.

The data shows that 99.8 per cent of 12,200 electors voting in Wyre Forest’s 43 polling stations brought photo ID that met the voter ID requirements of the Elections Act 2022. By the end of the polling day, 22 electors who tried to vote in a polling station were not given a ballot paper because they did not meet the new voter ID requirements.

This represents only 0.2 per cent of electors who asked to be issued with a ballot paper in a polling station. The figures also show that, while 32 electors were initially turned away, ten returned with acceptable ID and were able to vote.

Ian Miller, the returning officer said: “The change in legislation made it inevitable that some electors who are on the electoral register might not be able to take part in the election. I am pleased that a very high proportion of electors in Wyre Forest brought suitable photo ID with them. They had heeded the message from local efforts to raise awareness and the national campaigns by the Electoral Commission.

“We will continue to raise awareness, as all elections and referendums in Wyre Forest will require photo ID when voting in person from now on. In May 2024 there will be elections for Kidderminster Town Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia, and the general election is also likely to be held next year. Photo ID is not required for applying for a postal vote: that option remains available for all electors.”