Almost two dozen people in Watford did not return to vote after more than a hundred were turned away from general election polling stations, new figures show.

Since May 2023, voters have needed to show photo ID to vote in UK parliamentary elections, local elections and referendums in England.

The move has proved controversial, with some groups saying it may make voting harder for younger people and ethnic minorities, who are less likely to have a valid form of photo ID.

New Electoral Commission figures show 121 voters were initially turned away from polling stations in Watford due to ID rules in the general election this July. While 101 of these returned, 20 did not.

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

In total, 34,222 people voted at 60 polling stations in Watford.

Across Great Britain 50,000 people were initially turned away due to not having valid ID, with 16,000 people not returning to vote.

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."