Electoral - Frequently Asked Questions

If you are in any doubt about your registration or your right to vote, please contact the ERO where advice and guidance is available.
Some questions arise more often than others do, and these have been replicated here, as they may hopefully satisfy your enquiry.

If you live in the Lothian Area, you can check by telephoning the Electoral Registration Office’s general enquiry helpline on 0131 344-2500.

Alternatively, the Register is on Public Display at the following locations:

  • Electoral Registration Office – 17a South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh EH12 9FL

  • Council Libraries – hold the register(s) for the area they serve. (Links are provided on the main Electoral Page)

  • National Library for Scotland, Edinburgh – holds the register for all of Lothian.

The main criteria be registered to vote are:-

Residence

The application should be for the address at which you currently reside, that being your usual and permanent place of residence and not a temporary residence such as a holiday home or second home used very much as a subsidiary residence.

Age

In Scotland, you can register to vote when you are 14. You can vote in local and Scottish Parliamentary election when you are 16. The voting age for UK Parliamentary (Westminster) elections is 18.

Nationality

Persons eligible to be registered are:

  • British Citizens
  • Commonwealth Citizens who has leave to remain in the UK or who do not require such leave
  • Citizens of The Republic Of Ireland

The citizens listed above have, subject to any other statutory restriction, full voting rights at all types of elections and referendums.

  • Citizens of Other European Union Countries
  • Qualifying Foreign Citizens
    • A citizen that has leave to remain in the UK or who does not require such leave

These citizens are entitled to vote at Scottish Parliamentary and Local Government Elections only, although they may be included in National Referendums depending on the relevant franchise restrictions for the event.

Qualifying foreign citizens are not eligible to vote in UK Parliamentary Elections.

Further information is available at https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/who-can-vote/which-elections-you-can-vote

The easiest way is by going on line at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote  or you may prefer to telephone 0131 344 2500 where a member of our Customer Support Team will be able to assist you.

The Electoral Registration Officer publishes a revised Register usually on the 1st December each year. Additionally, monthly updates are made at the beginning of each month (or more frequently during an election period).

As statutory recipients of the register, the credit referencing agencies are entitled to purchase copies of the full revised register as well as the monthly updates.
Whilst the ERO provides the revised Register and monthly updates to credit reference agencies promptly, we have no control over how long it takes them to update their own files.

Any disputes with credit agencies should be taken up with the company themselves.

Electors can contact us to check if they are registered. You can call us on 0131 344 2500. Alternatively, you can email us at [email protected]. If emailing, please confirm your full name and address.

To vote in Scotland, you now need to show photo ID to vote in person in some elections.
This applies at UK parliamentary elections, including general elections, by-elections and recall petitions.
Voters in Scotland do not need to show photo ID at Scottish Parliament elections or at council elections.

To find out what photo ID is accepted when voting in person please visit https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/voter-id/accepted-forms-photo-id

If you don’t have an accepted form of photo ID you can apply for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate, if:

  • you don’t have an accepted form of photo ID
  • you’re not sure whether your photo ID still looks like you
  • you’re worried about using an existing form of ID for any other reason, such as the use of a gender marker

To apply for a Voter Authority Certificate please visit https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/voter-id/applying-a-voter-authority-certificate

In Scotland, you can register to vote when you are aged 14 or over, but you can’t vote until you are 16 (in Scottish Parliamentary and local council elections), or 18 (in UK Parliamentary elections.)

If a 14/15 year old has received an Invitation to Register form, they can complete and return the form or register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

If any help or assistance is required, or for further information, please contact us on 0131 344 2500 or email [email protected].