A quarter still remain unclear about what form of voter ID is required ahead of elections this year

A new nationally representative YouGov poll of 4103 adults in Britain commissioned by Brixton Brewery has discovered a worrying lack of knowledge about how elections work and people’s eligibility to vote across Britain, as mayoral elections approach on the 2nd May.

Despite photo ID being a requisite to vote, the research found that over a quarter (28%) of Britons lack clarity on accepted IDs, and one in six (16%) in England concerningly think they do not need photo ID in mayoral elections at all.

Having correct ID is just the tip of the iceberg, with the research finding almost three-quarters (72%) in mayoral regions either don’t know what electoral system is used in mayoral elections or gave an incorrect answer. This is significant as the upcoming mayoral elections mark the first since the voting changed from a supplementary vote to the first past the post system to select the winning Mayor.

In response to this uncertainty and inspired by the spirit of Brixton and its people, who have always been activists and campaigners, Brixton Brewery is bringing ‘Snappy Hour’ to London, Liverpool and Manchester to help voters obtain their photo ID for Mayoral elections. 

Speaking about the findings and ‘Snappy Hour’, Xochitl Benjamin, co-founder of Brixton Brewery, commented, “Home of so much lively political discussion and debate, local pubs were the perfect place to install these free photo booths. It's clear that many voters are frustrated and disillusioned in mayoral regions - our research found two in five think that their vote doesn’t matter, which is really shocking.

“Brixton has a long history of sparking change, and Snappy Hour, which forms part of our ongoing Yes We Cans! campaign, is our way of putting the power to as many people as possible and saying cheers to making a difference, one vote at a time.”

For those without the accepted forms of photo ID, the deadline to apply for Voter Authority Certificates is the 24th April, however, over half (52%) of those in regions with mayoral elections say they are not confident they’d know how to apply if they needed one. 

And it seems further education around voting is something the public are crying out for, with almost three quarters (73%) of respondents believing people in the UK should be taught more about British elections and electoral systems. 

To help with electoral education, Brixton Brewery has launched a limited edition run of rebranded cans of its best-selling beer, Reliance Pale Ale, newly named ‘Yes We Cans’.  Each can has a QR code which directs people to a website where they can find out more about changes to the election process and further details about Snappy Hour. Informational coasters have also been created for pubs to help educate the electorate. The cans will be available for free at the pop-up events and sent via Brixton Brewery’s website in place of Reliance Pale Ale to drinkers across the country between now and the elections on 2nd May. 

Snappy Hour will take place at the following pubs from 6 - 10pm:

• The Cavern Pub, Liverpool (27th March & 3rd April) 
• The Rising Sun, Manchester (28th March & 4th April) 
• Vaulty Towers, London (29th March & 5th April) 

The Brixton Brewery special edition Yes We Cans and further information on how to vote at this year’s mayoral elections is available at: https://brixtonbrewery.com/vote 

Methodology

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.  Total sample size was 4,103 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 5th - 7th March 2024.  The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).