As you know, of the tens of millions of votes cast in recent UK elections, a handful have been found to be fraudulent.
In view of this the government now requires us to present photo ID before we are permitted to vote.
With such an existential attack on our democracy it is essential to be sure that polling stations are genuine and have not been taken over by enemies of the people.
When I go to vote on May 2 I shall therefore request the photo ID of the supervising officer as well as their letter of authority to operate the polling station. We cannot be too careful!
I trust you will ensure your staff have this documentation available.
Anthony Day, Lastingham Terrace, York
Editor’s note: In the May 2023 elections in England and Northern Ireland, which included elections for local councils and local mayors, as well as seven parliamentary by-elections, the electoral commission says there were 341 cases of alleged electoral fraud. Only one of these resulted in a conviction. The electoral commission said: ‘The UK has low levels of proven electoral fraud. There (was) no evidence of large-scale electoral fraud in 2023’.
I say yes to voter ID
With all the complicated palaver about identification to exercise our legal right to vote, now is surely the time for all eligible UK citizens to carry an official identity card. It’s a system that works well for many countries.
It would soon single out the people who are illegally here in our country – they could then either apply for residency or be returned to their native country.
Mary Morton, Hob Moor Drive, York
I don’t want this Mayor
Not long to go now until the elections for the new post of Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, yet there’s one tick-box missing from the ballot papers.
The missing box is the one indicating we don’t want any more party snouts in the trough so don’t create the post in the first place.
I suppose I’ll just have to write that bit in myself, as I don’t see the point of having yet another layer of political clowns sat in between Westminster and the council, one which will just shrug its shoulders and blame the other two for all its failings.
The nation will get its chance to throw the government out soon enough, and as for kicking the council for it’s incompetence and corruption, well that’s my job.
The difference is I don’t charge the taxpayer millions for the service.
I say we all boycott this ballot and make it clear we don’t want these politicians, or the army of grossly overpaid civil servants who come with them looking to milk us for all we’re worth.
Dr Scott Marmion, Woodthorpe York
