Crack down on voting fraud needed

Restrictions on postal voting and identity checks at polling stations may be needed to help crack down on fraud, the elections watchdog has said.

The Electoral Commission said the voting system was still open to abuse despite measures to prevent it.

It is calling for police and electoral officers to toughen up procedures ahead of elections next year.

The commission is looking at a number of options to crack down on abuse of the system in Britain.

These include adopting measures currently used in Northern Ireland, such as restricting postal voting to constituents that are physically unable to come in person and forcing people to prove their identity at polling stations.

Advance voting, curbs on campaigning activities at polling stations and restrictions on the handling of postal vote applications are also among options put forward in its consultation on reforms.