How to go about casting your vote
Your vote matters
Your vote helps to choose the people who make decisions on issues that affect you, such as healthcare, education, law and order, roads and transport, refuse collection, local amenities and services... and many more.
So it is important that everyone has a say in who is elected.
Key dates - 18 April – deadline for registering to vote
- 18 April, 5pm – deadline for applying for a new postal vote for this election, or deadline for changing or cancelling an existing postal vote or proxy vote
- 25 April, 5pm – deadline for applying for a new proxy vote for this election
- 3 May – polling day (polling places open 7am-10pm)
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Elections will take place on 3 May to elect councillors to the Council and also Members of the Scottish Parliament.
This time, the way you vote for councillors is changing to a form of proportional representation known as Single Transferable Vote (STV).
Although the number of councillors to be elected will stay the same, the size of Council wards will be increased and either three or four councillors will be elected from each ward.
In Edinburgh there are currently 58 wards.
This will reduce to 17 with seven of the new wards returning four councillors and ten wards having three each.
Voting is still quick and easy as explained in the various articles in this feature.
How do I start?
The register of electors is a list of everyone who is registered to vote.
You must be on the register to be able to vote.
A registration form is sent to every home each autumn, but you can register to vote any time by calling the Electoral Registration office on 0131 344 2500 or by downloading a form from www.lothian-vjb.gov.uk
The closing date to register to vote on 3 May is Wednesday 18 April but it is advisable to register well in advance.
What is a poll card?
You can register to vote if you are either: - 18 or over
- an EU national living in the UK
- a British or Commonwealth citizen
- homeless or living in temporary or long-term hostel accommodation.
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If you are on the register of electors, you will be sent a card approximately three weeks before the election. This is called a poll card. It tells you where and when to vote.
Where do I vote?
On 3 May, go to the polling place. The polling place is often a school or hall near where you live.
As the ward areas have changed this year, you may have a different polling place to the one you have used before.
Tell the staff inside the polling place your name and address. You can show them your poll card, but you do not need it to vote.
What is a ballot paper?
The staff at the polling place will give you your ballot papers.
These are lists of the people or parties you can vote for.
You will be given two ballot papers, one for the Council and one for the Scottish Parliament.
How do I vote?
Go into a polling booth so that no one can see how you vote.
We’re here to help There will be staff available in all polling places to answer questions, provide information and assist voters where they wish this. There will also be information posters and diagrams in polling places to provide information and guidance on the voting process. |
For the Scottish Parliament elections you will be asked to put a cross (X) for the party or individual you choose in the regional vote and another (X) in the box next to the person you want to vote for.
For the Council elections you will be asked to number the candidates in order of your preference: 1 for your first choice, 2 for your second choice, 3 for your third choice, 4 for your fourth choice and so on. You can express as many preferences as you wish.
Do not write anything else on the paper or your vote may not be counted.
What do I do next?
Don’t fold the ballot papers, simply put each paper in the ballot box for the relevant section. If you are not clear what to do, ask the staff at the polling station to help you.
Do not let anyone see your vote.
Postal vote?
If you want to vote by post, you need to fill in a postal vote form, available by calling the Electoral Registration office on 0131 344 2500 or by downloading a form from www.lothian-vjb.gov.uk
The deadline for applying to vote by post is 18 April. If you apply to vote by post you will not be able to vote at a polling place.
Postal votes will be given to Royal Mail between Friday 20 and Monday 23 April for first-class delivery. If you think you won’t be able to deal with your postal vote and return it before the close of poll on 3 May you should consider appointing someone to vote on your behalf.
CITY OF EDINBURGH ELECTORIAL ARRANGEMENTS - MAY 2007
| Ward no. | Ward name | Councillors to return | | 1 | Almond | 3 | | 2 | Pentland Hills | 3 | | 3 | Drum Brae/Gyle | 3 | | 4 | Forth | 4 | | 5 | Inverleith | 4 | | 6 | Corstorphine/Murrayfield | 3 | | 7 | Sighthill/Gorgie | 4 | | 8 | Colinton/Fairmilehead | 3 | | 9 | Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart | 3 | | 10 | Meadows/Morningside | 4 | | 11 | City Centre | 3 | | 12 | Leith Walk | 4 | | 13 | Leith | 3 | | 14 | Craigentinny/Duddingston | 3 | | 15 | Southside/Newington | 4 | | 16 | Liberton/Gilmerton | 4 | | 17 | Portobello/Craigmillar | 3 | |
Can someone vote on my behalf?
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If you can’t vote in person, you can apply to vote by proxy. Anyone can be your proxy as long as they are eligible to vote in the election and are willing to vote on your behalf. You have to provide a reason for needing a proxy vote.
Maybe you can’t get to the polling place on election day because:
- you have a physical condition preventing you from getting to the polling place
- the kind of work you do means you can’t get to the polling place
- you are a Crown Servant or a member of the armed forces
- you have to attend an educational course
- you will be on holiday
- you are a British citizen living overseas.
To apply to vote by proxy phone 0131 344 2500 or download a form from www.lothian-vjb.gov.uk
Send the completed form to your local Electoral Registration office by 5pm on 25 April.
What happens after I’ve voted?
The Council votes will be counted electronically using STV. Each voter gets one vote, which can transfer from their first preference to their second preference and so on. If your preferred candidate has no chance of being elected or has enough votes already, your vote is transferred to another candidate in accordance with your instructions.
Candidates don’t need a majority to be elected, just a known ‘quota’, or share of the votes, determined by the number of people who vote and the number of councillors to be elected.
Scottish Parliamentary elections use a proportional representation called the Additional Member System. This combines first past the post with an element of proportional representation that means the number of seats allocated to parties and individuals in the Parliament seeks to reflect their share of the overall votes cast.
You have two votes, one in each part of the election. You should mark the ballot paper with an X for each. One is used to elect an MSP from the constituency in which you live using the first past the post system. The candidate with most votes is elected. Your second vote is to elect regional MSPs. Edinburgh is part of the Lothians Region which returns seven Regional MSPs. You vote for a political party, or individual candidate, with party candidates elected in order from a list submitted by the party. Regional seats are allocated proportionally according to the number of votes cast for each party and individual candidates across the region, taking into account the number of constituency seats that party candidates have won.
More information at www.votescotland.com
- More information
Notices of election and notices of poll (lists of candidates) are displayed in libraries, community centres and other public venues for reference and in local newspapers.
Useful websites if you want to find out more online:
www.lothian-vjb.gov.uk – for useful information
www.votescotland.com – for information about the elections and voting systems
www.edinburgh.gov.uk – for information on ward areas, councillors and polling places
www.electoralcommission.org.uk – for more information on voting