Read on Twitter
Voter ID. I’m against photo ID for many reasons. Mostly linked to my experience of social work with adults over 20 years. Yes, there’s a cost to passport/drivers license but that can be resolved with free cards from councils which are proposed
So cost, in itself, isn’t my chief concern. It’s about how we access free cards, it’s about what happens with more transient folk, it’s the expended additional energy in locating and applying (generally online) for ID
It’s the ‘what will you need to prove yourself to get your ID’, it’s the many people who won’t want their LA to have even more information or even if it’s all completely transparent, don’t want to take the risk or the time.
It’s about the message it sends and that in a period where there’s still low turnout rates we should be making the ability to vote jump another hurdle. I suspect it’s one whopping big dog whistle and this won’t be a govt priority in the next year but you can’t be too careful.
I’m concerned it’s a slippery slope which hardwires privilege in and in such a way that those who don’t move beyond their own world, will never understand the worlds of others. I fear for those who may be concerned, anxious or worried about sharing more information
Voting should be easy and accessible. Always think ‘what problem does this solve and does it create more?’ In my view, it creates many more problems than it solves
Actually I should make it clear, I think there is no problem it solves. It solves a perception of a problem
