At least 97 people were turned away from Stoke-on-Trent polling stations at the general election – because they did not have ID.

July's general election was the first to be held since the introduction of the law requiring people to show photographic ID in order to vote.

Figures released by Stoke-on-Trent City Council in response to a Freedom of Information request show that polling staff across the city's three constituencies recorded 97 occasions where they did not issue a ballot paper due to the lack of ID. Forty-seven of these were in Stoke-on-Trent North, with 26 in Stoke-on-Trent South and 24 in Stoke-on-Trent Central.

It is impossible to know how many of these 97 people were subsequently able to vote after returning to their polling station with acceptable ID. But no figures were recorded at 45 out of the 155 polling stations across the three constituencies, meaning the true number of voters affected by the ID law in Stoke-on-Trent could be higher.

July's general election was the first to be held since the introduction of the law requiring people to show ID in order to vote (Nub News).

It is also impossible to know how many voters who lacked acceptable ID did not even attempt to vote in Stoke-on-Trent.

The polling station at Burslem Cricket Club, in Stoke-on-Trent North, turned away seven voters for lacking ID – the most out of any polling station in the city. Holy Trinity Church, in Burslem, turned away five voters, as did Griffin Street Scout Hall, in Longton.

But staff at 68 polling stations in the city recorded no instances of voters lacking ID.

The forms of ID accepted under the current law include passports, driving licences, and the Older Person's Bus Pass. In its election manifesto, Labour pledged to tackle 'inconsistencies' in the current law 'that prevent legitimate voters from voting'.

The city council declined to comment on the figures but said the data had been passed on to the Electoral Commission.

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