Register to vote

If you wish to vote in any election, you must be on the Electoral Register.

How do I get on the Electoral Register?

To get on the electoral register you need to use the UK Government register to vote service. You can register to vote if:

• You are a citizen who has the right to remain resident in Scotland irrespective of nationality.
• You are aged 14 years or over (you will not be eligible to vote until you are 18 in UK Parliamentary elections).
• You have no legal incapacity to vote.

The voting age for Scottish elections has been lowered to 16. This means that if you're 16 or older you will be able to vote in Scottish Parliamentary and local government elections.

Mencap have created accessible easy read webpages to show you how you can register to vote in any elections local to you.

When you use this service to register, your information is passed on to the local Electoral Registration Officer. Our local Electoral Registration Officer is responsible for the preparation and maintenance of the Electoral Registers for:

• Clackmannanshire Council
• Falkirk Council
• Stirling Council

The Electoral Register lists everyone who is registered to vote in the Council area.

What happens after you have registered?

After your details are verified by the government digital service you will receive a letter advising you when you will be added to the Electoral Register. Should your details not be verified the ERO will contact you to supply further information.

Once you are on the electoral register, you can vote in elections or referendums where you are eligible to vote. Different elections and referendums in the UK have different rules about who can vote. This means that not everyone can vote in every situation. You can find out more information on www.gov.uk.

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How do I vote?

If you are registered to vote, you will be sent a poll card shortly before an election. This will tell you where and when you can vote. Your poll card will differ depending on how you have chosen to vote.

• You can choose to vote in-person at your local polling station.
• You can choose to vote by post.
• You can appoint a proxy to vote for you.

The poll card is for your information only – you do not need to take it to the polling station to vote.

In-person

On election day, go to your polling station. Your polling station is usually located within a primary school, community hall or public building near where you live. There may be more than one polling station in the building, but there will be information on hand to direct you to your current polling station.

When you have located your polling station, tell the staff there your name and address. You do not have to bring your poll card with you to vote but it might save time if you do. If you do show your poll card to the staff, you must remember to take it away with you.

Voters in Scotland now need to show a valid form of photo ID to vote in-person at polling stations for UK parliamentary elections. This currently does not apply to Scottish Parliament or Scottish Local Government Elections.

If you do not have an acceptable form of photographic identification, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.

You will then be given a ballot paper (or ballot papers if there is more than one election on that day) and directed to a polling booth to cast your vote in private. In the polling booth you will find instructions to assist you in marking your ballot paper correctly. These instructions can also be found on the ballot paper. Mark your ballot paper as directed, fold it half and put it in the ballot box.

Staff are available in the polling station to assist electors so please ask questions if there is anything you are unsure of or if there is any additional equipment you may need to help you vote independently and in secret.

• A tactile voting device
• An audio description of the Ballot Paper
• A large print guide of the Ballot Paper
• A magnifier
• Additional lighting
• Assistance by companion
• Assistance by Presiding Officer

If you are not able to attend a polling station on the day of an election, you can apply in advance to vote by post or by proxy.

By post

By proxy