Residents in Shetland are being urged to check their electoral registration details or risk losing their chance to vote on decisions that affect them.
The Electoral Registration Office have been getting in touch with every household in Shetland to check that the electoral register is up to date, and to identify any residents who should be registered but are currently missing. All properties should now have received either email correspondence or a form through the post.
Robert Eunson, Electoral Registration Officer for Orkney and Shetland, said: “Keep an eye out for important updates you will have received from our office. The annual canvass is our way of making sure that the information on the electoral register for every address is accurate and up to date. To make sure you don’t lose your say at upcoming elections, if you have not done so already, simply follow the instructions in the correspondence sent to you. If you’re not currently registered, your name won’t be included there.
Sarah Mackie, Head of the Electoral Commission in Scotland, said: “It’s really important that everyone who is eligible to vote is able to do so, especially ahead of the Scottish Parliament election next year. We urge people to check for updates from their Electoral Registration Officer on this year’s canvass. You might receive an email, a letter, or a phone call, or someone might knock on your door.
“If you are not registered to vote, make sure you provide the necessary information to your Electoral Registration Officer when asked and register to vote online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.”
Information on registering to vote is available on the Electoral Commission website – www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections
Residents with questions about their registration status can contact the Electoral Registration Office at 20 Commercial Road, Lerwick on 01595 745700 or email ero@shetland.gov.uk
Notes to editors
- The Representation of the People Act 1983 places a duty on electoral registration officers to maintain the electoral register for their area and to conduct an annual canvass of all residential properties.
- The electoral register lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote. The register is used for electoral purposes, such as making sure only eligible people can vote. It is also used for other reasons as specified in law, such as detecting crime (e.g. fraud), calling people for jury service or checking credit applications.
- To be eligible to register to vote a person must be:
- Aged 14 or over (a person may register to vote at 14, but may not vote until they are 16 for Scottish Parliament and council elections and aged 18 for UK Parliament elections)
- A British, Irish, EU or other foreign citizen who has leave to enter and remain in the UK or does not require such leave.
- Full details on who can vote in elections in Scotland can be found here