Just 0.18 per cent of East Devon electorate have applied for voter ID certificate

Just 0.18 per cent of the East Devon electorate have applied for a Voter Authority Certificate ahead of next weeks elections.

The certificates were introduced under controversial new government rules that require voters to show photo identification at polling stations.

Elections for district and town and parish councils on Thursday, May 4 will be the first time these rules have been implemented.

If voters did not have already have an acceptable form of ID, which includes driving licenses and passports, they were able to apply for a special certificate, but the deadline to do this in time for next week's elections has now passed.

A total of 219 East Devon residents – 0.18% of the electorate – applied for a certificate before the deadline earlier this week.

Twenty-six of the applications were received on the deadline day.

The new rules on voter ID have been introduced to prevent voter fraud, but critics have described it as a solution for a problem that does not exist, with only convictions for voter fraud in the UK between 2017 and 2022, and only 0.1% of voter fraud allegations leading to a conviction.

Opposition parties have argued that the Conservative-led scheme will make it harder for some people to vote and put others off.

There has also been criticism that older people are more likely to have acceptable forms of ID, with student ID cards, for example, not permitted.

Axminster's independent district councillor Sarah Jackson is among those to have publicly criticised the scheme, along with the Conservative leader of Devon County Council, John Hart.

Click here for a list of accepted forms of identification. The requirement of ID also applies to those acting as a proxy on behalf of another individual.

Residents with a VAC can retain the certificate for use at future elections, but they cannot use this as proof of identity for any other purpose.

Click here for details of candidates standing in East Devon District Council wards in the Axminster area.

There will be no election for Axminster Town Council as not enough candidates put themselves forward.