NEARLY 20 people were turned away in Harwich and North Essex at July's General Election because they did not have the right photo ID.

Figures from the Electoral Commission show 41 voters were initially turned away from polling stations in Harwich and North Essex due to ID rules at the General Election.

Out of these 23 returned to vote, but 18 did not.

In total, 36,628 people voted at 58 polling stations in Harwich and North Essex.

Conservative Sir Bernard Jenkin won with a 1,162 majority and a narrow 2.2 per cent more votes than nearest rival Labour's Alex Diner. 

The Electoral Commission says in Britain 50,000 people were initially turned away due to identification issues and out of these “about 16,000 people” could not vote, which was 0.08 per cent of the electorate.

The commission said the true number could be even higher as some voters may have been told about the ID requirement by staff before they asked for a ballot, and so would not have been recorded as being turned away.

The research found an estimated 750,000 people do not have an accepted form of ID.

Electoral Commission chief executive Vijay Rangarajan said: "This was the first time all voters across the UK were required to show photographic ID at a General Election, and the data shows almost everyone was able to do so successfully.

"However, our research shows that the need for ID discouraged some people from voting – and we don’t want to see any voters lose their say."

Only Hendon, in north London, saw the number of potential voters failing to return to vote being greater than the winning candidate's majority. 

Some 34 voters were recorded as not returning to vote after being turned away for having incorrect ID – more than Labour’s victory margin of 15 votes.

The Electoral Commission has called for the Government to review whether a larger number of ID documents could be valid for use in elections – such as the Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card and the 18+ Student Oyster photocard, in addition to the Veteran Card.