1.1 This report presents findings from a survey commissioned by the then Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (now the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government), undertaken by Ipsos in July 2024 following the General Election. The aim of the study is to gauge public opinion and experiences related to voting, as well as to assess the potential effects of the Electoral Integrity Programme (EIP). This research aims to provide valuable insights for evaluating these significant policy initiatives. This executive summary provides an overview of the key findings. Detailed data tables are available as a separate annex to this report.

General attitudes towards elections

1.2 General attitudes towards elections remain largely unchanged from previous waves of this study. In Great Britain, most voting age adults (63%) still prefer voting in person at a polling station, while 3 in 10 (29%) prefer postal voting, and a small proportion (1%) favour voting by proxy. These preferences were reflected in the July 2024 UK General Election, where 65% of surveyed voters report having cast their ballots in person, 34% by post, and 1% by proxy.

1.3 Among those who did not vote in the General Election, the most common reasons cited were not wanting to vote for any of the available candidates (20%), a lack of trust in politicians/MPs (18%), and being away or lacking time on election day (17%). For those individuals who selected multiple responses, when asked to identify their primary reason for not voting, being away on election day emerged as the most frequent response (15%). Three percent said they did not vote because of something related to the need to show photographic identification, with the same proportion saying this was their primary reason for not voting

1.4 The vast majority of voters in Great Britain found it easy to vote at the recent General Election, whether in person (97%) or by post (95%), consistent with previous waves of the study. In Northern Ireland, where postal voting is more restricted, a similarly high proportion of in person voters (97%) found the process easy. The preference for in person voting remains strong in Northern Ireland (84%), with minimal interest in postal voting (3%).

1.5 Satisfaction with the voting process remains high in Great Britain, with 77% of voting age adults expressing satisfaction. Confidence in the conduct of elections is also strong, with 85% expressing confidence in elections generally and the same proportion specifically for the July 2024 General Election.

1.6 Among those lacking confidence that elections are run well in their nation, the most common concerns were the perceived unfairness/outdated nature of the voting system (33%), fraud (30%), and doubts about accurate vote counting (29%). Overall perceptions that fraud is occurring in polling stations remain relatively low, with 70% believing that not very much or no fraud at all occurs in polling stations in their nation, and 81% believing that voting in general is very or fairly safe from fraud (rising to 87% for voting in person, but falling to 61% for postal voting and 50% for coting by proxy).

1.7 In line with previous waves, the most important factors when voting to people in Great Britain are their vote being safe from fraud and abuse (51%, and more important to older groups), and voting being easy or convenient (46%, more important to younger age groups). A third prioritise having a choice of methods (33%, higher among those with a disability that impacts their ability to vote in person), and 28% say voting being secret.

1.8 In Northern Ireland, 73% are satisfied with the voting process, and 78% are confident in how elections are run (as are 80% for the recent General Election).

Voter identification in Great Britain

1.9 Awareness of the photographic ID requirement has risen significantly to 84% in Great Britain from 31% in January 2023 and has increased slightly since May 2023 in England from 76% to 84%. However, awareness of the Voter Authority Certificate (VAC) remains low at 18%, similar to 21% in May 2023 (in England), yet higher than 8% in January 2023.^{[footnote 1]}

1.10 For the July 2024 General Election, most voting age adults in Great Britain (72%) reported that the photographic ID requirement did not affect the ease or difficulty of in person voting. However, 12% found it more difficult, and this difficulty was particularly pronounced among those without photographic ID (38%) and those with disabilities affecting their ability to vote in person (18%). Additionally, 7% said the requirement to provide a photographic ID made it easier to vote in person.

1.11 A majority of voting age adults in Great Britain (80%) reported that the photographic ID requirement did not impact their desire to vote in person. A similarly high proportion (81%) indicated it also had no effect on their preference for absent voting methods.

1.12 When reflecting specifically on the last General Election, 82% of voting age adults in Great Britain said the photographic ID requirement had no impact on their desire to vote in the election. However, for some groups the requirement made them less likely to want to vote in person at the election, including those without photographic ID (42%, versus 8% overall), those dissatisfied with the voting process (22%), and renters (13%).

1.13 A small percentage (3%) of non-voters cited photographic ID issues as a reason for not voting, with the same proportion stating it was the main or only reason. However, non-voters who do not have photographic ID were more likely to say it was a reason why they did not vote (28%), as did certain other groups such as non-voters with a disability that impacts their activities a lot (12%), or who are social renters (8%).

1.14 Among in person voters at the General Election, driving licences (70%) were the most common form of ID used, followed by passports (23%) and older person’s bus passes (3%). VAC usage was low with 1% reporting using it. Of those without a valid photographic ID, 25% expressed a likelihood of applying for a VAC. Among in person voters at the recent General Election, there were few reports of practical issues with photographic identification, such as feeling uncomfortable having to show their ID (6%) or either forgetting their ID or being turned away and later going back with it (2%).

1.15 Confidence in the security of the voting system has increased slightly since the introduction of requiring a photographic ID, with 60% of voting age adults in Great Britain feeling more confident compared with 57% who said this in January 2023, while those in England also saw a small increase in perceptions that getting away with fraud is difficult, from 48% in January 2023 to 55% now. The proportion believing that requiring a photographic ID to vote at the polling station is effective in preventing fraud remains stable at 71% (compared with 70% at January 2023).

1.16 The willingness to return to the polling station later in the day if their photographic ID was initially forgotten has also increased to 71%, up from 61% in January 2023. One in five (20%), however, said they would be unlikely to return – down from one third (33%) in January 2023.

Accessibility

1.17 Roughly half of voting age adults with a disability in Great Britain (52% – down from 57% in January 2023) and Northern Ireland (50%) agree they receive adequate materials and support needed for voting. In Great Britain, a third (34%, also down 8 percentage points since January 2023) believe polling station staff are adequately trained to assist disabled voters (compared to 47% in Northern Ireland).

1.18 Awareness of accessibility provisions, such as companion voting and the availability of support equipment, remains low in Great Britain, with around 14% of fresh sample aware of each provision. In Northern Ireland, awareness is slightly higher at 17% for each. Awareness is primarily gained through informal channels such as word of mouth or non-government/Electoral Commission sources.

1.19 While previous waves of this research showed people thought there would be a positive impact of accessibility changes on voting, this wave, which measured actual impact retrospectively after the General Election, suggests a smaller effect. For example, 84% of those in Great Britain with a disability said that expanding the list of eligible companions had no impact on their preference for in person voting with a companion (82% in Northern Ireland) and 83% of those in Great Britain with a disability said that the availability of support equipment did not influence their preference for voting independently at a polling station (78% in Northern Ireland).

1.20 There was, however, a more noticeable positive impact observed among those with severe disabilities. For instance, in Great Britain 15% of those whose disability prevents in person voting reported feeling more likely to vote in person with a companion due to the expanded companion voting rules (11% said less likely), while 19% of the same group felt more likely to vote in person on their own thanks to the provision of support equipment (12% less).

Absent voting

1.21 Around 3 in 10 voting age adults in Great Britain (29% postal, 1% proxy) prefer absent voting methods, consistent with previous findings. This preference is slightly higher in Scotland (34% postal) and Wales (35% postal) compared to England (28% postal). In Northern Ireland, where absent voting is more restricted, this preference remains low (3% postal, <0.5% proxy).

1.22 While absent voters are generally satisfied with the voting process, the perceived ease of applying for a postal vote has decreased. When asked about the last time they applied to vote in this way, 7 in 10 (71%) postal voters in Great Britain found the application process easy in this wave, compared with 90% in January 2023. However, those who have applied online since October 2023, when the online application system and verification process were introduced, were more likely to find the process easy (84%) than those who applied by post since this date (69%).

1.23 Absent voting methods are still considered safe from fraud, but less so than in person voting. In Great Britain, 61% consider postal voting safe (consistent across all waves), and 50% consider proxy voting safe (compared with 87% saying that voting at the polling station is safe from fraud). In Northern Ireland, 56% view postal voting as safe, and 48% view proxy voting as safe (compared with 89% saying that voting at the polling station is safe from fraud).

1.24 Awareness of recent changes to absentee voting procedures in Great Britain appears limited. Slightly more than a third (36%) of the voting age population reported significant awareness (either “a great deal” or “a fair amount”) of the online application option for postal and proxy votes. Furthermore, 16% were aware of the requirement to renew postal vote applications every three years.

Digital imprints

1.25 There is uncertainty among voting age adults in Great Britain regarding the identification of the promoter behind online campaign materials (this is the person/organisation who caused the campaign materials to be published). Three in ten (31%) feel certain they can identify the promoter on campaign material, while 39% are not certain (a further 26% say they hadn’t seen any online campaigning material). Certainty levels are slightly lower in Scotland (24% are certain, 44% not certain) and Northern Ireland (26% are certain, 41% not certain).

1.26 Socio-demographics, political interest, and confidence in elections have a small influence on certainty levels. Men (36%), adults aged 18-54 (34%), full-time workers (35%), graduates (34%), those in managerial/professional roles (33%), those interested in politics (36%), and those who regularly vote in general elections (34%) express slightly higher certainty in being able to identify the promoter on online campaign material than average. Those confident that elections are well run (34%) also exhibit greater certainty.