Voters will be forced to show identification such passports or driving licences at before casting their ballot, the government is set to announce.
The Telegraph reported on Saturday that the announcement is set to form part of the upcoming Queen’s speech, which will take place on Monday.
Ministers hope to pass a brand new “Electoral Integrity Bill”, which would make it a legal requirement for members of the public to produce photographic ID before voting in a bid to stamp out electoral fraud.
Data held by the Electoral Commission revealed that there was no evidence large-scale electoral fraud relating to the 2018 local elections.
Of the 266 cases that were investigated by police, just one led to conviction – which related to a Green Party candidate in Peterborough forging signatures on his nomination form – and two suspects who were given a caution.
One suspect admitted to voting twice via postal vote, and the second suspect was a widow who had mistakenly sent back her deceased husband’s vote in the midst of grief.
Critics of mandatory voter identification claim that the introduction of the measure could risk the disenfranchisement of thousands of voters, particularly the elderly or those living in deprived communities who are less likely to have ID.
A standard adult 34-page passport costs £75.50 if you apply online, and £85 using a paper application form. A provisional driving licence costs £34 if you apply online and £43 by post, and a first full GB licence for those with a European or other foreign licence also costs £43.
Many people pointed to Northern Ireland, where the law requires voters to present one of seven potential forms of photographic ID, one of which could be an Electoral Identity Card.
These cards can be obtained from Northern Ireland’s Electoral Office free of charge, and the Cabinet Office have confirmed that a similar system will be introduced in the UK should the bill pass.
The issue of mandatory ID requirements for voters is one that has repeatedly come to the fore in US politics where it is often framed as a tool for disenfranchising BAME communities.
US Academics Phoebe Henninger, Marc Meredith and Michael Morse studied data from Michigan in 2018 and found “non-white voters are between 2.5 and 6 times more likely than white voters to lack photo ID,” The Economist reported.
However, according to some political scientists, there is not yet sufficient evidence to identify a negative effect on turnout amongst non-white voters, The Economist also reported.
Further details about the proposals in the UK are likely to be unveiled during Monday’s State Opening of Parliament, an event which is largely set to revolve predominantly around Brexit.
A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: “Electoral fraud is an unacceptable crime that strikes at a core principle of our democracy.
“Showing ID to vote is a reasonable and proportionate way to protect our elections - it is something people already do in everyday life and voters in Northern Ireland have been doing it with ease for decades.
“Voter ID is one part of a body of work this Government is delivering to give the public confidence that our elections are secure and fit for the 21st century.”
This article has been updated to reflect a statement from the Cabinet Office, which confirmed the proposals include the introduction of a free local electoral ID, which members of the public would be able to obtain from their local authority.