Absent voters will lose their entitlement to vote by post at Scottish Parliamentary and local council elections or proxy at all polls if no response is received within six weeks of the original notice being sent.1
The six-week period is calculated from the date the notice is sent to absent voters. You should therefore date the notice on the day you expect to send it.
The entitlement would be lost on the last day of the six-week period following the date the notice is sent. Where the end of the six-week period falls on a non-working day, the deadline is extended to the next working day.
After three weeks of the date of the original notice, if no reply is received, a reminder notice needs to be sent to the voter.2
In this instance, the three weeks are inclusive, i.e. voters have a full three weeks to complete the notice and for it to arrive back at the ERO’s office before a reminder should be sent.