Council boss rejects voter ID 'suppression' in election rap video
A council chief executive has taken a unique approach to spreading the word about voter ID - by dropping his own rap track on the issue.
Under the name of T-Dawg, council boss Trevor Holden spits rhymes to remind voters in Norfolk to bring identification with them when they cast their ballot.
"Come on guys, the message is clear - May's local elections are drawing near... / Bring your ID to make your vote count... This is what democracy is all about," he raps.
The minute-long song, entitled ID Like A Boss, also dismisses concerns that the new restrictions may affect voter turnout.
"Some may call it suppression, but don't be a square / It's about making sure this election is fair," he says.
Mr Holden is the top official and returning officer for Broadland and South Norfolk councils.
The video follows controversial changes which mean voters will have to present photo ID at polling stations for the first time in May’s local council elections.
Anyone without a valid form of ID or a voter authority certificate will be turned away at the polling station.
The changes, which mean Norfolk councils will have to bring in extra staff at polling stations, were introduced through provisions in the Elections Bill.
The government argues it will prevent fraud, but critics do not believe the scale of the problem justifies the measure and warn it will hit turnout.
Mr Holden’s video, posted on the local authority’s social media channels, opens with cover art of a dark sky and him swinging in on a zipline.
It reads in a graffiti-style font “T-Dawg – ID Like A Boss”, with a black and white logo in the corner saying “voter advisory useful content”, in the style of parental advisory explicit content labels.
Mr Holden then appears, standing with his arms folded and nodding, as an auto-tuned vocal raps “T-Dawg on the track”. He bounces in the crab position, on a set of concrete steps by some election signage, and begins to rap.
The video cuts to him in different locations, wearing a bucket hat and high-visibility jacket while waving his hands around by boxes for postal votes, and nodding while wearing headphones by a microphone.
The video finishes with an explosion sound effect and Mr Holden giving peace signs with both hands, as a voice says “perfect”.
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