A watchdog set up to monitor elections has found “little evidence” a voter identification trial held in the town had a negative impact on voters. 

The Electoral Commission has published “key findings” following the first ever voter ID trial run by Watford Council during the May elections. 

Voter ID, where people provide personal identification before casting their ballot, is a pilot scheme and part of the Government’s plans to make the process legislation. 

The pilots ran for the first time in the UK during the May 2018 elections with five towns taking part including Bromley, Gosport, Swindon, Watford and Woking.

The Electoral Commission’s evaluation found “few” people were deterred by the need to show identification and that the trial “may have had” a positive impact on voters’ perception of fraud. 

Key findings from the trial include:

•    Nearly all voters in Watford were able to meet identification requirements upon arriving at the polling station. 0.2% were not issued with a ballot paper because they did not meet the ID requirement. 

•    74% of polling station voters in Watford said they were aware of the need to take identification to vote.

•    There was no evidence that the identification requirement significantly deterred electors from voting. 

•    Public attitudes to electoral fraud improved after the pilot. More people said electoral fraud is not a problem in Watford in May 2018 than in January 2018 (Although the Electoral Commission said it “cannot be sure” those changes were a result of the pilot).

Craig Westwood, director of communications and research at the Electoral Commission, said: “74% of polling station voters in Watford said they were aware that they had to take identification with them to the polling station to vote. 

“This is a testimony to the hard work put in by Watford Council staff. From the experience of voters to the staff delivering the pilots, the broad picture is a positive one.

“The next test of voter identification will be to run similar pilots in areas that capture different demographics across Great Britain. 

“The UK Government should ensure that a wider range of local councils run pilots in 2019 to ensure there is more evidence as to the impact voter identification could have on different groups of people.” 

The report makes recommendations to the Government about future trials including taking in a mixture or rural, large urban areas and areas with “different demographic profiles”.