No Checks On Voters

[rsvp]

I realised today just how vulnerable my vote is - went into the polling station, was just asked my address then my name (without any sort of identification required) and was handed a ballot paper! I could have been anyone.!

[Jackdaw33]

If you gave the name and address of someone who had already voted you would have had your collar felt sharpish.

[Prudie]

I had to show my polling card

[Maydup]

We took our polling cards, but the authoritites only seem to be interested in numbers not individuals. You will have been crossed off the list so you can only vote once but there is less concern about who it was using that vote!

Dare you to go back and pretend to be your neighbour!

[Mamyalynne]

Exactly as Jackdaw says - I know the names and addresses of many people. If I had travelled round each of their polling stations and impersonated them, I'd be under the Town Hall Clock tonight.

[Baldric]

By who, there were no Police around when I voted

[Cloverjo]

I agree, the security is shockingly lax. But if we had to provide ID, what about people who don't have a driving licence or passport? Should they have to get some kind of state regulated ID card?
What do other countries do?

[Baldric]

That ^^^^ was @ jackdaw

[Mamyalynne]

There always used to be a Police Officer nearby but they would call them if they suspected foul play.

[rsvp]

yes but I didn't - my point was (and perhaps I didn't make it clear) was that had some one who was maybe not entitled to vote pretended to be me then presumably I wouldn't be allowed to vote - or would I? Any one know please.

[ichkeria]

In Northern Ireland you need photo id to vote after lots of "high turnouts" in certain areas in the past :-)

[Maydup]

As i said, they are only interetsed in one vote per name, not who that person is. Had someone used your vote you would be out of luck.

[SirOracle]

All of the EU have ID cards......except for us in the UK. We know better, and have to use bulky passports.

All out of step except us (as per usual ).

[PankySmooch]

The two old biddies in our polling station could barely read my card let alone do security checks

[rsvp]

That's awful maydup - more like something from a third world country than here. It really did strike me as being very, very lax.
Thank you everyone for the answers.

[askyourgran]

Like others on here we had to take our polling cards to show who we were. At least they should have checked to see if you had any means of identification. If your name had been marked off on the polling roll already I think they would have caused an investigation to be made into it. The other person would have had to show proof of who they were - or give your details to use your vote. I don't really know the system but that vote would have to be spoiled somehow.

[rsvp]

But AYG if someone had already said they were me and my name had been crossed off I'm not sure I would have been allowed to vote.

[ichkeria]

As previously stated, only in N Ireland do you need to present ID. You should not be required to produce your polling card, which doesn't really prove anything anyway.
It's a case of risk management: it's not regarded Rightly or wrongly) as an issue what justifies the other issues that would arise currently if they introduced a similar system in Great Britain.
If you know your neighbour is registered to vote, but won't be voting, and you are confident you won't be caught, then there is only the law and your conscience to stop you "personating" him/her

[jno]

I voted twice long ago, once for me, once for a flatmate who was out of town. Nobody seemed to notice.

[rsvp]

The present system doesn't instill a great deal of confidence in me I must say. Many thanks to everyone for the answers.

[Gromit]

Rsvp,

Your voting card is delivered to your house prior to election date. If you had not received your card prior to election day, then you should inform the authorities. But the lack of your voting card would mean you would not visit your polling station. Not sure this is a chance of widespead fraud.