Dartford Borough Council has published data showing that 94 voters were turned away at polling stations during the 4 May 2023 local elections under new national photo ID rules — and 14 never came back.
Bringing photo ID to the polls is no longer optional in Dartford. Since 2023, anyone voting in person at a local election must show an accepted form of photographic identification before receiving a ballot paper. The council has now published figures from the first time those rules applied locally — and they make for instructive reading.
At the 4 May 2023 local elections, 94 voters were refused a ballot paper at the door. Wrong ID, no ID, or ID that was rejected. Of those, 80 went away, found their documents and came back in time to vote. But 14 did not return before the polls closed. Fourteen people who showed up to vote, didn’t.
The rules are set nationally and monitored using a Voter Identification Evaluation Form — a VIDEF — which polling station staff fill in to record what happens when voters request a ballot paper.
So what counts as acceptable ID? The list is wider than most people realise.
- UK, EEA, Channel Islands, or Isle of Man passports
- UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or EEA photographic driving licences, including provisional licences
- EEA photographic ID cards and UK Biometric Residence Permits
- PASS hologram cards (the kind used as proof of age in shops)
- Blue Badges, Oyster 60+ Cards, and concessionary travel passes — including a Kent County Council Bus Pass, Disabled Person’s Bus Pass, Welsh travel card or Northern Ireland travel card
Only original physical documents are accepted. No photocopies, scans or phone photos. And your poll card — the one that arrives telling you where to vote — cannot be used as ID. If your appearance has changed considerably since your photo was taken, the council advises applying for a Voter Authority Certificate before the relevant deadline rather than chancing it on the day.
Expired documents can still be used, provided the photo remains a reasonable likeness. An ID showing an old address is also fine — it’s used to confirm who you are, not where you live. If your name doesn’t match the electoral register exactly, that isn’t automatically a problem, but contact the elections team beforehand on 01322 343501 to check.
Every polling station in Dartford must offer a private identity check for any voter who asks.
The Electoral Commission oversees the scheme nationally and provides further guidance for voters. Please visit the Electoral Commission’s website for further information.
Key information
- Free Voter Authority Certificate: Anyone without an accepted form of photo ID can apply for one free of charge before each election’s application deadline — visit the Electoral Commission’s website or contact Dartford Borough Council’s elections team on 01322 343501
- Lost your Voter Authority Certificate? Contact the Council’s elections team on 01322 343501
- Name mismatch between ID and electoral register? Contact Dartford’s elections team on 01322 343501 before polling day to check whether your ID will be accepted
- Forgotten your ID on polling day? You must leave the polling station and return with an accepted original document before polls close
Voter photo ID: what Dartford's 2023 election figures show Quiz
5 questions