Running electoral registration - Scotland

You need to plan for how you will manage absent vote applications received before the relevant day. 

Scottish Parliament and Local council election absent voting applications not determined by the relevant day

An application for a Scottish Parliament and Local council election absent vote that is made before but not determined by the relevant day is to be treated as not having been made. This is because these applications will not include the required information to enable ID verification to take place as required under the new rules. 

As soon as practicable after the relevant day, you must send information about how to make a fresh application to any affected electors, at their qualifying address.1

New applications received on or after the relevant day

All absent voting applications received on or after the relevant day must satisfy the new requirements including information for the verification of personal identifiers.2

Where an application does not contain the required information, you should, where possible, make enquiries to obtain the missing information. If the missing information is not submitted, the application cannot be accepted. You should write to the elector to explain why the application has not been accepted and how to make a fresh application that meets the new requirements.