Trans* people’s perceptions of political participation in the wake of voter ID requirements:evidence from the UK

The UK Elections Act 2022 introduced a photo ID requirement for voting in person in UK general elections and local elections in England and Wales. Fiercely debated, civil society groups raised concerns that voter ID would disproportionately impact minorities, including trans* people. Exploring trans* voters’ responses to the new rules, this paper presents data from an online survey (n=205) and semi-structured interviews (n=15) collected in the aftermath of the English local elections in May 2023. Findings lend support to concerns that voter ID could contribute to voter suppression amongst trans* people in the UK. Participants anticipated a shift towards postal voting and overall decrease in likelihood to vote. Barriers to participation centred on anxiety about presenting photo ID due to potential for dysphoria, misgendering and challenge. We argue that understanding these affective responses is an important element in unpicking how the new rules will affect trans* people’s voting behaviour.