Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson was turned away from a polling station after he forget to bring his ID to vote in the country’s local elections.
According to reports, he retrieved his ID and voted later in the day.
“New rules requiring photo ID to vote were introduced by Mr Johnson’s government in the Elections Act 2022,” BBC reports.
The polls are now open. Vote Conservative today!
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) May 2, 2024
Boris Johnson, who made the law requiring ID to vote in elections, gets turned away from his polling station for not bringing ID (2024) pic.twitter.com/yC0DNTTitF
— insane moments in british politics (@PoliticsMoments) May 2, 2024
Per BBC:
The change was rolled out last year, with local elections in May 2023 the first time voters needed to show ID.
According to the Electoral Commission, about 14,000 people were unable to vote in last year’s local elections in England as a result of the new rules.
There are 22 acceptable forms of ID, including passports, driving licences, older or Disabled Person’s bus passes and Oyster 60+ cards.
People who are registered to vote can also apply for a free document known as a Voter Authority Certificate.
Boris Johnson said in 2004 that he would eat his ID at a polling station in protest if the law ever required it.
In 2022, he passed a law requiring ID to vote and dismissed criticism it would stop people voting.
In 2024, he forgot his ID when trying to vote and was turned away. pic.twitter.com/L5x1c0oct3
— Adam Schwarz (@AdamJSchwarz) May 2, 2024
Boris Johnson was turned away from a polling station when trying to vote in the local elections after forgetting to bring acceptable photo ID
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— Sky News (@SkyNews) May 2, 2024
Sky News reports:
Sky News understands polling station staff were forced to turn the former prime minister away after he initially failed to comply with legislation he introduced while he was in Downing Street.
Mr Johnson, who introduced the Elections Act requiring photo ID in 2022, was attempting to cast his ballot in South Oxfordshire, where a police and crime commissioner for the Thames Valley is being selected.
In England, passports, driving licences, blue badges and certain local travel cards are accepted forms of voter ID.
A spokesman for Mr Johnson did not deny he had failed to bring ID, but did say he’d managed to vote today.