Who can vote?

Home > Services > Council and Government > Elections > Voting

In order to vote you have to be:

• registered
• 18 years of age or over
• a British or Commonwealth citizen, or a citizen of the Irish Republic, or a citizen of another European country in the European Union, and
• your name is on the voters’ list for an address in the appropriate constituency and ward.

You can register to vote if you are 16 or older, but you won't be able to vote until your 18th birthday.

How do I know whether or not I'm registered to vote?

You have to be on the electoral register before you can vote in a local or general election. If you don't live with your parents and didn't fill in the electoral registration form sent to each household at the end of last summer or if you have moved house since then, it is likely that you aren't registered to vote at your present address. If you live with your parents and are aged 16 or older, ask them if you are registered to vote. You can find out for definite if you are registered by asking to see the electoral register, details below.

Renfrewshire Council has a particular responsibility for the conduct of elections. The Chief Executive, as Returning Officer, and the Department of Corporate Services make all the necessary legal and practical arrangements for polling and counting of votes.

It is now easier to obtain a postal vote if, for any reason, you are unable to attend your local polling station on the day. A postal vote application can be for:

• a specific election (for example, the next election)
• a specific period (for example, from 1 December 2006 until 30 November 2008), or
• an indefinite period (for example, until further notice).

Forms of application for postal votes are available from the Electoral Registration Officer, you can find out the contact details and the website for this using the Electoral Registration link on the right.

You can also find out if you are registered on the electoral register at your local library.

It is your responsibility to check that your name appears in the electoral register for the area in which you live. If your name does not appear on the register you will not be able to cast your vote.

For more information you may find these websites useful

• Scottish parliament
• House of Commons
• European parliament

  How do you rate this information? 1 = good, 2 = average, 3 = poor: 123

  Add your comments here:
  
  

  Comments left here are for customer research only. They are not routinely checked and cannot be replied to.

  To contact a council service, please use the email links on our contacts page.

  

  Accessibility | Privacy Policy | Copyright | Disclaimer | Website statistics