Bath and North East Somerset Council has accused the government of an “egregious example of attempted voter suppression” with the new requirement for voters to show photo ID at elections.

The local elections on May 4, which in Somerset are taking place in the Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset council areas, will be the first under new legislation passed by the government requiring voters to show a photo ID at the polling station.

A council motion passed in a session of full council on Thursday March 16 strongly criticised the new rules, stating: “This legislation is unnecessary, undemocratic and an egregious example of attempted voter suppression.”

Some councillors joined with protestors outside the Guildhall before the meeting, in a protest against the voter ID rules and a show of support for the motion.

Local councils who disagree with the voter ID legislation cannot change the rules, but Bath and North East Somerset Council’s motion will see the council write to the government asking them to expand the list of accepted forms of photo ID and help with the costs local councils face in implementing the policy.

The council also plans to “make every effort” to ensure people are aware of what to bring, to avoid voters being disenfranchised.

Proposing the motion, Bath Avon South councillor Matt McCabe said: “Evidence from around the world shows that forcing people to bring ID to the polling station just makes it harder to vote, while doing little to increase faith in the integrity of the system.”

He added that in the US where, like in the UK, people are not issued with mandatory ID cards, the evidence suggested that more disadvantaged groups lost out most from voter ID laws.

He added: “We do not need to be spending millions putting up barriers to participation in our democracy.”

The motion passed with the support of Liberal Democrat, Labour, and Green councillors, but both the Conservative and Independent groups on the council said they wanted to support parts of the motion but disagreed with the characterisation of the legislation. Both groups tabled amendments which were voted down.

Independent group spokesperson Karen Walker said: “We don’t believe this legislation is unnecessary or undemocratic or liable to disenfranchise anyone, as voter fraud has seriously undermined the democratic process.”

Tabling the Conservative amendment, councillor for Midsomer Norton North Michael Evans said: “We have no problem with the reasonable requests at the end [of the motion] but we would not like the language about disenfranchisement which is obviously inaccurate.”

He said that voter fraud was currently “a low risk crime”.

But deputy leader of the council Richard Samuel said that between 2015 and 2019, 153 million votes had been cast but there had only been 88 allegations of electoral fraud. He told Ms Walker: “This is not proportionate. What you have moved is factually inaccurate and I certainly will be voting against it.”

Keynsham South councillor Lisa O’Brien said that voter fraud did happen — even locally.

She said one of her constituents had lost their poll card on the way to vote, only to find that someone else had found it and had cast her vote. She said: “Yes, it is tiny, but there is potential for fraud.”

Councillor for Lambridge Joanna Wright shared a different local experience from her constituents. She said: “I met one lady who cried on the doorstep with me, who said she could barely get the shopping, let alone know how to get the new paperwork so that she could vote and she would not be able to vote this time.”

You can see a list of which forms of photo ID will be accepted at the polling station here.

It should still be accepted, even if it has expired, as long as you look the same and the name you have registered to vote with is the same as on your ID.

If you do not have one of the accepted forms of photo ID, you can sign up for a Voter Authority Certificate which will allow you to vote on polling day here.