ELECTORAL REGISTRATION
NO ONE MAY VOTE AT ELECTIONS TO PARLIAMENT, SCOTTISH OR EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTS, OR LOCAL COUNCILS UNLESS THEIR NAME APPEARS IN THE REGISTER OF ELECTORS.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS - MAY 2012
THE DATES FOR APPLYING FOR A POSTAL AND A PROXY VOTE FOR THE ELECTIONS ON 3rd MAY HAVE NOW EXPIRED.
On 3 May there will be elections to local councils across Scotland. If you want to have your say on which councillors represent you then you will need to be on the electoral register.
Electoral Registration Officers throughout Scotland are asking everyone to check NOW that they are registered to vote at their current address particularly if you have moved address in the last year or can’t remember returning the voter registration form which came through the door last year.
It is important that you check as every year electors are removed when they do not respond to the annual voter registration forms posted in the autumn or fail to apply to register when they move address.
Not being registered will prevent you from voting and will also affect your credit rating.
The dates for applying for a postal or a proxy vote for the Local Government Elections on 3 May 2012 have now expired.
Eligibility for registration
All BRITISH CITIZENS, OTHER COMMONWEALTH CITIZENS, CITIZENS OF THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND and CITIZENS OF ALL OTHER EUROPEAN UNION MEMBER STATES who will be resident at an address in Orkney or Shetland on 15 October will be included in the Register published on the following 1st December, provided they are aged 17 or over on 1st December. For further information on who can register to vote please follow this link <<ABOUT MY VOTE>>
Names normally included in the register
- 16 AND 17 YEAR OLDS - They can vote as soon as they are 18. This is the reason why you must supply their date of birth.
- THOSE WHO NORMALLY LIVE AT AN ADDRESS BUT ARE TEMPORARILY AWAY, For example on holiday; as students; in hospital (including voluntary patients in mental hospitals); or as a reservist called up for service or training.
- MERCHANT SEAMEN who live at an address when not at sea.
- ANYONE WHO IS AWAY WORKING, unless the absence will be for more than six months.
- CITIZENS OF OTHER MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION - These states are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus,Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia,Spain and Sweden. These persons are permitted to vote at Local Government and Scottish Parliamentary elections. They are sent a separate form to allow them to register to vote at European Parliamentary elections in the UK. xCitizens of the Republic of Ireland, Cyprus and Malta are eligible to be registered to vote in respect of all elections held in the UK.
Persons not normally included
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ANYONE WHO IS NOT A BRITISH, COMMONWEALTH, IRISH, OR OTHER EUROPEAN CITIZEN.
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PEOPLE UNDER 16.
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CONVICTED PERSONS - Anybody normally resident at an address who is serving a prison sentence.
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SHORT-STAY GUESTS at an address who have their normal place of residence elsewhere.
Absent voting
Long-term proxy votes
There are a number of acceptable reasons in law in respect of which a person can choose to apply to vote by proxy for an indefinite or definite period of time. These reasons are:
- blindness
- other disability
- occupation/employment/service/attendance on a course
- registered as a service voter or overseas voter
- registered as an anonymous elector
- journey necessary by sea or air to get from the registered address to a polling station
These applications also require attestation to validate the application with the exception of number 6. If you have a long term illness or disability which makes it difficult for you to vote in person or by post, your application must be supported by either one of the following: -
- A registered medical practitioner
- A registered nurse
- A registered dentist
- A registered dispensing optician or optometrist
- A registered chiropractor
- A person registered under the Health Professions Order 2001 or a Christian Science practitioner.
If you are in a residential home or sheltered housing, the matron, home care director or warden may support your application. If your job or educational course, or that of your spouse, takes you away from home for long periods (e.g. travelling salesman, long distance lorry driver), your application must be supported by either your employer or your spouse's employer. In the case of a study course then by the institution holding the course. If you are self-employed your supporter must be 18 or over, know you and must not be related to you. Your application does not have to be supported by someone else if you are registered Blind or in receipt of the Higher Rate Mobility Allowance, however you must give the relevant number.
Proxy vote for a particular election
You can apply for a proxy for a particular election, but you must give a specific reason, for example that you will be on holiday or away due to work. These applications do not need any attestation. If you are suddenly incapacitated or taken ill, you can apply to vote by proxy for medical reasons up until 5pm on polling day. Please contact the appropriate office in Orkney or Shetland if you require an emergency proxy.
The person you select as proxy must be legally entitled and willing to vote for you and will be sent a 'proxy paper' which allows them to vote on your behalf at the polling station on election day. Alternatively, they may vote by post if desired.
As with postal votes, new regulations now require applicants for a proxy vote to supply a date of birth and current signature to help prevent fraudulent claims. If you are unable to supply this or have any other questions either the Orkney or Shetland Office. Completed application forms must be received six working days before election day. If you already have a postal or proxy vote and wish to make any changes, these must be received eleven working days before an election.
Rolling Registration
Anyone moving address can apply to have his or her details amended on the Register of Electors. Forms are available from the Electoral Registration Officer or can be downloaded from this page. Please note that each member of a household must complete an individual signed application.
The Electoral Registration Officer makes and keeps two versions of the electoral register - the full register and the edited register.
The Full Register - The full register lists everyone who is entitled to vote. You can check it by calling at the council offices or at some of the local libraries. Only certain people and organisations can have copies of the full register, and they can only use it for special purposes. These include electoral purposes, the prevention and detection of crime and checking your identity when you have applied for credit. The law says who can have a copy of the full register and what they can use it for. The full list of such persons is given in the Representation of the People (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2002. It is a criminal offence for them to pass it on to anyone else or to use it for any other purpose.
The Edited Register - The edited register leaves out the names and addresses of people who have asked for their names to be excluded from that version of the register. The edited register can be bought by anyone who asks for a copy and they may use it for any purpose.
Form Downloads
To read and print the forms below you will require Adobe Acrobat Reader. This is a free utility and can be downloaded by clicking " DOWNLOAD ADOBE ACROBAT" below.
Application forms must be downloaded, printed and then returned to the Electoral Registration Officer by hand, post or fax. Forms can not be returned by e-mail or over the web.
To download the correct form, please click on the island area in which you are resident.
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DOWNLOAD ADOBE ACROBAT | |
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APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION |
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APPLICATION FOR POSTAL VOTING |
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APPLICATION TO VOTE BY PROXY AT A PARTICULAR ELECTION |
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