Welcome To Your Vote Day – New Scots encouraged to register

Today (Thursday 10 March) is #WelcomeToYourVoteDay, and the Electoral Registration Officer for Highland and Western Isles is encouraging everyone who is 16 or over and resident in Scotland to register to vote so they can participate in the council elections on Thursday 5 May.

Due to recent changes in the law in Scotland, these elections will be the first opportunity for many New Scots to have their say on who they want to represent them in their council.

The Electoral Registration Officer Bill Gillies said: “If you’re 16 or over and resident in Scotland you can vote in the council elections on 5 May, regardless of where you were born.

“To take part you must be registered to vote by midnight on Monday 18 April.  You can register now at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote -  it is a simple process and only takes five minutes.”

Councils make decisions on a range of issues which affect our everyday lives, including education, social care, housing, leisure services, and rubbish and recycling collection.

There are a number of ways to have your say in the election in May - you can vote at a polling place, by post, or by appointing someone you trust to vote on your behalf, which is known as a proxy vote. For more information about voting in elections in Scotland go to the Electoral Commission’s website: www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voter