Local Elections (and Sheffield mayoral election) on 3rd May

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10. Voter ID plans 'deeply flawed', says Electoral Reform Society

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-43932073

Government plans to make people prove their identity before voting are "deeply flawed", the Electoral Reform Society (ERS) has warned. The scheme, which is being piloted in Bromley, Gosport, Swindon, Watford and Woking for the local elections on 3 May, is designed to combat voter fraud.

But the ERS says the new system could be a "calculated effort" to make voting harder for some citizens. Voter ID fraud was "incredibly rare", it said.

The claim comes after a leaked letter from the Equality and Human Rights Commission warned the change could have a "disproportionate impact" on voters from minority groups, who may not possess appropriate ID.

"With millions of people lacking the right photographic ID - and no government plans for a universal, free alternative - this can only mean another barrier for honest voters," said ERS chief executive Darren Hughes.