Running electoral registration - Scotland

You should ensure that electors are made aware that they have the option to vote by post, proxy or in person. This will allow them to make an informed choice about the option that is most appropriate to their circumstances. 

Electors who are or will be registered are entitled to apply for a postal vote. For someone to meet the will be registered criteria, the five day objection period must have passed and you must have positively determined their registration application, which means they will be added to the register on publication of the next notice of alteration or on publication of the revised register, whichever is first.1  

There is no requirement for an elector to provide a reason why they want to vote by post.

Depending on the type of election it is for, a postal voting arrangement can be in place for one of the following:

• a particular poll (for a poll held on a specific date)
• a definite period (cannot exceed 3 years and has a start and end date for example from DD/MM/YY until DD/MM/YY)
• a longer term arrangement the length of time for which will differ depending on the type of poll for which the application is made. 

For Scottish Parliament elections and local council elections, an elector’s postal vote arrangement can be in place for an indefinite period, but after 5 years the postal vote must be refreshed. For more information on this see our guidance on managing the refresh processes. 

For UK Parliamentary elections, for domestic electors, the maximum period cannot exceed 3 years and will cease on the third 31 January calculated from the date the application is granted. You must contact affected electors and invite them to reapply before this date.2 For more information on this see our guidance on the reapplication process. 

If an elector applies for a postal vote for a definite period which exceeds the maximum period, you should grant the application for the maximum period possible. Their confirmation letter should confirm the date that the postal vote arrangement will expire. 

Postal voting arrangements for overseas electors

An overseas elector’s postal voting arrangement is directly linked to their electoral registration and will cease on the third 1 November calculated from the date of their addition to or renewal on the register. 

Any postal vote arrangement for an overseas elector will expire when their electoral registration expires, regardless of the date the postal vote application was made. For more information see our guidance on managing the renewal of overseas elector registration. 

If, during the renewal period, a new postal vote application is received separately from a renewal declaration from an overseas elector, you should check to see if the elector has made a new overseas elector application. If they have not, you should contact the overseas elector to confirm if they want to renew their declaration. If they do, wait to receive it, and process it in advance of the postal vote application.

If you cannot get confirmation from the elector, you should process the postal vote application without the renewal and clarify to the elector that it will only be applicable until the end of the declaration period (i.e. up to the relevant 1 November). If a declaration is subsequently received the overseas elector would be required to reapply for their postal vote if they wish their arrangement to continue to be in place after that date.  

Postal voting arrangements for electors attaining the age of 18

You should contact 16 and 17 year old electors who have a postal vote arrangement in place for Scottish Parliament elections and Scottish council elections when they attain the age of 18. 

Your communication should: 

• explain that their existing postal vote arrangement does not apply to UK Parliamentary elections
• explain that if they wish to vote by post at a UK Parliamentary elections, they will need to make an application for a postal vote 
• provide them with information about how to make such an application to vote by post