Dozens of Bolton voters turned away at General Election 2024

Last July’s general election was the first time voters were required by law to take photo ID like driving licences or passports to polling booths with them to vote.

But findings from the electoral commission have shown that 216 people from across Bolton’s three constituencies were turned away because of this rule.

Bolton Council leader Cllr Nick Peel said: “What the figures don’t show here is the number of people who didn’t go to the polling station at all because they didn’t have ID.”

Cllr Peel said that while campaigning in Breightmet during the last election he encountered several people who were put off voting for this reason.

Counting underway on election night (Image: Phil Taylor)

Before election day on July 4 Bolton Council issued various warnings saying that people would need to bring photo ID with them,

But the Electoral Commission found that in Bolton North East 51 people were turned away on election day and that 19 of them did not return later on.

In Bolton West 84 people turned away with 33 not returning later on, while in Bolton South and Walkden 81 were turned away with 26 not returning.

This means that across the three constituencies 216 people were turned away to begin with and that of them, 78 did not return to vote at all.

None of this would have been enough to effect the outcomes in the three seats, but people being turned away has still sparked concern.

Cllr Peel said: “My views haven’t changed on this, I think it was a deliberate act by the previous tory government to supress voter turnout amongst younger people, transient people, the kind of people who don’t vote tory.”

He added: “There has never been widespread voter fraud in this country, we have one of the cleanest democracies in the world.”

Across England, Scotland and Wales, the Electoral Commission found that 50,000 people were turned away because they did not have valid ID, with 16,000 people not returning to vote.

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Electoral Commission chief executive Vijay Rangarajan said: "This was the first time all voters across the UK were required to show photographic ID at a general election, and the data shows almost everyone was able to do so successfully.

"However, our research shows that the need for ID discouraged some people from voting, and we don’t want to see any voters lose their say."

He added: "Public awareness of the need for voter ID is high across the UK, but there are still groups of voters that are less likely to be aware of the need to show ID or that do not have an accepted form.

"Everyone eligible should have the opportunity to vote, which is why we are recommending changes that will support those who do not currently have ID and improve the accessibility of elections, while maintaining the security of the process."