Running electoral registration - Scotland

Renewal of service declarations

A person registered as an HM forces service voter is entitled to remain registered, provided the elector continues to satisfy the other conditions for registration, until the end of the five year period beginning with the date when the entry first takes effect. You should make contact with the HM forces service voter during this five year period to ensure that their registration and voting arrangements remain current.

You will need to maintain a record showing when reminders are due to be sent. 

You must remind every service voter of the need to make a fresh declaration if they wish to remain registered.1 The reminder must be sent between 57 and 58 months after the date when the service entry first takes effect2 and should include a new declaration for the service voter to complete. If you do not receive a fresh declaration, you are required to send a second reminder not less than 21 days and not more than 28 days after sending the first reminder.3  

Reminders must not be sent where you have received information that the person is no longer entitled to make the relevant declaration or no longer wishes to be registered as a service voter.4
 
Where a declaration is not renewed within the five year period and the person is removed from the register, they will also lose any absent voting arrangement they had in place.  

Further information about notifying electors of loss of entitlement to absent voting arrangements can be found in our guidance on absent voting.

Service voters aged under 18

A person who is under 18 years old who is registered as a service voter because they live with a parent or guardian who is a member of HM forces must renew their registration every year5 .

You should send a reminder of the need to make a fresh declaration if they wish to remain registered as a service voter, and include a declaration for them to complete. The reminder should be sent between 9 and 10 months after the date when the entry first takes effect. You should send a second reminder to let them know that their declaration is about to expire if they have not responded to the first reminder. This second reminder should be sent not less than 21 days and not more than 28 days after sending the first reminder. You will need to maintain a record showing when reminders are due to be sent.

Furthermore, they will cease to be registered as a service voter when they are 18 years old. You must issue a reminder to the elector stating that their registration will cease when they are 18 years old, and this reminder must be issued within the period of three months ending when the person attains the age of 18. They will need to make a new application to register reflecting their circumstances at that time.