Voter polling cards & ID

kerry4sam

Every year since I was first eligible to vote my Late Loving Dad would wait until I was free and we'd vote together.

Now, my Late Loving Dad passed away on 20th December 2013 but this morning a voter polling card arrived for him.

Every year that I have voted, I have never been asked for any form of ID. Dad always insisted I have some with me just-in-case, but every year my ID would remain out of sight. Never once seen anyone be asked to verify their ID in my local polling station.
I could have had anyones polling card. It would be handed over, name crossed off list and election material received for my vote.

It just has me thinking now, how prevalent would voter ID fraud be in Ireland? Where do they receive the information to send out polling cards & for whom, since one arrived today for my Late Loving Dad?
Could someone, if they got their hands on my Late Loving Dads polling card, just use it as their own, since ID doesn't be asked?

Should everyone be asked for some form of ID or would that just lead to un-comfortable waiting times as everyone is processed and checked? <-- doesn't seem likely to be done in a country / small town polling station btw.

Has anyone ever been asked for ID when voting in any election?

Thanking You,
kerry4sam

AdMMM

As the old Sinn Fein motto goes... "Vote early and vote often".

Your father's name would have been on the Electoral Register. I don't believe they're automatically informed of the death of people. To have this name removed, you need to fill in the form RFA1.

As for people using the polling card, yes they potentially could. I've never seen anyone be asked for ID and I'm sure it's quite prevalent in urban areas where those staffing the polls are far less likely to know everyone, and also because they could hop from polling station to polling station to vote.

DubVelo

AdMMM wrote: »

As the old Sinn Fein motto goes... "Vote early and vote often".

Funny, I always heard that as the Fianna Fáil motto...

valor rorghulis

I've always been ID'd

matrim

I don't bother to bring my polling card so am always asked for id, but I have seen other people who have their card being asked too

Agent Smith

I Vote in Dun Laoghaire and have been ID'd before i vote.

martingriff

Depends on area I suppose and how long you have voted. Polling stations are so local especially in rural area they would have a fair idea who someone is.

check_six

Wow, I'm kind of stunned. I vote in Dublin and the same poll station people (?) have been manning the polling stations for years. I'm always asked for id. Given that I think each polling station has roughly the same number of people voting in it I can't see how you could say there is a rural/urban divide. I'm startled really, goes to show how easy a bit of voting fraud is if you go to the right place.

Although, on the other hand the tallymen people are notoriously precise in working out who is voting for whom, so maybe they know exactly who you are and would call you on it if you show up with someone else's card (if it suited them!).

pajor

DubVelo wrote: »

Funny, I always heard that as the Fianna Fáil motto...

Same. When my dad was in Trinity in the early 80's he said that polling cards would mysteriously disappear, from even inside the rooms of student digs.. Then they brought in the ID rules.

I've never been asked for ID in Cork City.

Hotblack Desiato

If I go by car or walk to the polling station I never get asked for ID.

If I go on my motorbike...

DubVelo

ninja900 wrote: »

If I go by car or walk to the polling station I never get asked for ID.

If I go on my motorbike...

:eek:

Yer not serious!?

Of course if ye ride up the path, in the door and down the hall...

duchalla

My wife and I each received 2 polling cards, 2 came to our own home in the city and 2 came to our family homes in the country. 2 different constituencies for the local elections, but the same constituency for the European elections. Theoretically, could we vote twice?

oscarBravo

duchalla wrote: »

Theoretically, could we vote twice?

Not legally.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Hotblack Desiato

DubVelo wrote: »

:eek:

Yer not serious!?

Of course if ye ride up the path, in the door and down the hall...

Well, when I go by car I try not to drive through the front door, I park legally ten metres away. When I go by motorcycle, I do the same, but my clothing is different.

I've been at the same table in the same polling station all this time, 11 years, and I always vote. The younger person at the table may change but the older guy at this table is ALWAYS the same. I recognise HIM and so does he when I look like Joe Average but when I turn up in a motorcycle jacket it's different. Funny that. At this stage I'm pretty sure he recognises me in the motorcycle jacket too, but he's just being a see you next Tuesday about it.

Godge

duchalla wrote: »

My wife and I each received 2 polling cards, 2 came to our own home in the city and 2 came to our family homes in the country. 2 different constituencies for the local elections, but the same constituency for the European elections. Theoretically, could we vote twice?

It is legal to be registered in two different places.

It is illegal to vote in two different places.

Nevertheless, you can be sure that all parties will lay on minibuses and lifts for their student activists at lunchtime today to get them home to their other constituency by this evening.

Agent Smith

Was ID'd this morning at 7.


Normally had my work ID in my wallet, But recently moved companys, and didnt have it.


Girl at the desk had i anything to verify my name, was checking my wallet and my neigbours just walked in the room and just said "ah how are ya Joe"


the girl let me vote :pac:

Idleater

Was asked for id for the first time this morning. Coincided with my address moving to a new table. Still had the usual chat with my 'regular' official while searching the pages.

antoobrien

Agent Smith wrote: »

Was ID'd this morning at 7.


Normally had my work ID in my wallet, But recently moved companys, and didnt have it.


Girl at the desk had i anything to verify my name, was checking my wallet and my neigbours just walked in the room and just said "ah how are ya Joe"


the girl let me vote :pac:

My former school principal is usually overseeing the polling station, never need ID.

Funnyonion79

I've never ever been asked for ID when voting. However both myself and my husband always receive two voting cards - one to our parents address and one to our own address so it would be very easy to go and vote in both constuencies as they are both close by.

My dad always gets two voting cards as well - one in his own name and another in a variation of his name (a name that he has never used).

I always consider voting twice but so far I've resisted the temptation

Vojera

When I voted at home (Donegal) I was never asked for ID, but then why would I be when the people manning the tables have known me since I was born?

I now live and vote in Dublin and I automatically hand over my ID along with my polling card. It rarely gets actually looked at.

Hotblack Desiato

Well, I went on the bike, and didn't get ID'd...

The usual oulfella was working on a different table this time :cool:

Birdie Num Num

Twice I wasn't asked for ID today.

dastardly00

I voted in a Galway city polling station this evening. Only my second time voting there. I wasn't asked for ID.

wow sierra

The main thing is that you should assume you are entitled to vote. If you don't get a card in the post you should still find out where your estate/road polling station is.
Then turn up with a valid ID and see what happens.

Lone Stone

Never been asked for id when voting but always had it with me anyway, except today and what happens!!

Birdie Num Num

Lone Stone wrote: »

Never been asked for id when voting but always had it with me anyway, except today and what happens!!

My earlier post was in jest. I turned up today also without ID but wasn't asked for it. I was actually kind of miffed about it and meekly uttered some facetious comment.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

pajor

Once again I wasn't asked for ID yesterday.