Still time to have your say in May

Issued on behalf of the Electoral Registration Officer for Highland

The Electoral Registration Officer for Highland is reminding anyone who wants to take part in the May local government elections to make sure they are registered to vote by the deadline of midnight on Monday 18 April 2022.

The Scottish Local Government Elections for The Highland Council are taking place on Thursday 5 May 2022 to elect 74 Local Councillors in 21 wards.

Local Councillors are responsible for making decisions on your behalf about local services.

While the election is not until May, planning is already underway to help you stay safe while casting your vote. 

There are a number of ways to have your say in the election in May - you can vote in a polling station, by post, or by appointing someone you trust to vote on your behalf, which is known as a proxy vote.  The last date for applying to vote by post is Tuesday 19 April 2022 at 5pm with the deadline for applying to vote by proxy on Tuesday 26 April 2022 at 5pm.

Last month Bill Gillies the Electoral Registration Officer for Highland sent a letter to all households in the Highland area in advance of the elections, to let them know who is registered to vote and who has a postal vote.  The letter also gave households further information on how to register to vote, if you are not already registered or how to apply for a postal or proxy vote.

With the deadline fast approaching, Bill said: “There is still time for anyone not yet registered to get this done so they are ready to take part in the May elections.  If you are not already registered, you can register online at gov.uk/registertovote – it is easy and takes less than 5 minutes.  If you are already registered to vote, there is no need for you to re-register”.

Residents can visit the Scottish Local Government elections page at www.saa.gov.uk/h-wi-vjb to find out more about these elections. The page will be updated with new information as it becomes available. Any residents who have questions can also contact the electoral registration team on 0800 393 783 or by e-mail - ero@highland.gov.uk

The Highland Council’s website also has information for voters - https://www.highland.gov.uk/voter