Public Support for Voter ID Laws in the UK: How Citizens Weigh Electoral Integrity and Voter Access

2025/08/26 by Jeffrey A. Karp, Jeffrey A Karp
Social Sciences · #Judicial and Constitutional Studies #Electoral Systems and Political Participation #Law, Rights, and Freedoms

paper · pdf · doi:10.1177/00323217251364930

Abstract

Voter identification laws aim to enhance electoral integrity but may reduce turnout. This study examines British public opinion on these competing goals following the introduction of photo identification in 2023. Using an original survey and an experimental design, we find that while concerns about low voter turnout are widespread, they do not significantly influence support for photo identification. Instead, beliefs about electoral fraud and political ideology are the strongest predictors of support. This suggests that arguments about voter suppression may not effectively counter support for stricter voter identification requirements.

Citations

• Balancing Fraud Prevention and Electoral Participation: Attitudes Toward Voter Identification
• The Voter ID Debate: An Analysis of Political Elite Framing in the UK Parliament
• Understanding a Key Electoral Tool: A New Dataset on the Global Distribution of Voter Identification Laws
• Who lacks voter identification? The electoral implications of the Elections Act 2022

Related

• Who lacks voter identification? The electoral implications of the Elections Act 2022
• The Voter ID Debate: An Analysis of Political Elite Framing in the UK Parliament
• Balancing Fraud Prevention and Electoral Participation: Attitudes Toward Voter Identification
• Voter ID Laws: A View from the Public*
• Trans* people’s perceptions of political participation in the wake of voter identification requirements: evidence from the UK