Election Office
Scottish Parliament and Local Government
How do I vote?
To be eligible to vote, you must be:
- 18 or over on 3 May 2007
- British, Commonwealth, European Union or Irish citizen
- Registered on the Register of Electors
If you have any questions with regard to eligibility, please contact
The Electoral Registration Officer
42 Point Street
Stornoway
Isle of Lewis
HS1 2XF
Tel: 01851 706262
Fax: 01851 706843
E-mail: assessor@highland.gov.uk
To vote in the elections in May, you must be registered by 18 April 2007. You can register now at http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk or contact your local Electoral Registration Officer.
You can votes using one of the following three methods:
- In person at a polling place
- By post
- By proxy, if you meet the requirements
Voting in Person
A few weeks before the day of poll you will be issued with a poll card which will detail the date of poll and the polling place in which you can vote. A list of the polling stations is available here 
. On attending the polling station you will be given two ballot papers. You will be asked to place completed ballot papers in the ballot boxes. These should not be folded before being put in the ballot boxes. They can be posted face down so not to disclose your voting preference.
Voting by Post
Anyone can vote by post. You can apply for a postal vote for a particular election, for a set period of time or for all future elections. Postal votes are usually sent out around one to two weeks before an election and should be returned by 10pm on the day of poll. The deadline for new applications to vote by post for the 3 May 2007 election is 5.00pm on 18 April 2007. To apply for a postal vote you should contact the Electoral Registration Officer (as detailed above).
Voting by Proxy
Voting by proxy means someone else votes on your behalf. You can apply for a proxy vote for a particular election, for a set period of time or for all future elections. Anyone can be your proxy as long as they are eligible to vote in the election and they are willing to vote on your behalf.
You have to provide a reason for needing a proxy vote. For example, maybe you can't get to the polling station on election day because:-
- You are going to be away on holiday
- You have a physical condition that prevents you from getting to the polling place
- The kind of work you do means you can't get to the polling place
- You have to attend an educational course
- You are a British citizen living overseas
- You are a Crown Servant or a member of Her Majesty's Armed Forces
You can apply for a proxy vote by contacting the Electoral Registration Officer. The deadline for new applications for proxy votes for the 3 May 2007 election is 5pm on 25 April 2007.
