How to vote

You can vote in the following ways: 

At your polling station

A few days before polling day you will receive a Poll Card which will contain your own unique electoral register reference number and tell you where you should go to vote. To find out where your polling station is please use the where to vote page.

Postal voting 

Postal voting is available to anyone, whatever the circumstances. You can apply for a postal vote for a particular election, for a set period of time, or for a permanent postal vote. To apply, please contact your local electoral registration office. Postal voters are now required to provide a signature and give their date of birth on the application form. This information is used as a security measure to prevent anyone else using your vote.

Proxy voting

Proxy voting is available to people who cannot reasonably be expected to attend their polling station at elections because they will be away from home temporarily on the date of the election.

Long - term proxy is available to people who cannot reasonably be expected to attend their polling station at elections because they suffer from a physical incapacity, or their employment duties, or attendance on a course of study takes them away from home. 

Anyone can act as your proxy as long as they are eligible to vote in the election and they are willing to vote on your behalf. 

On Election Day

On an Election Day, unless you have a postal or proxy vote, you should head to your polling place to cast your vote. Each polling place will be open from 7am to 10pm to allow sufficient time for everyone to vote. Please make sure beforehand that you are registered to vote! 

Your poll card tells you where you should go to vote. It is likely to be a community building, or, more rarely, a school, near where you live.

Once inside the polling place, there may be more than one polling station. Street lists will help you identify where to go. 

At the polling station staff will ask for your name and address and check that you are on the register.

You can show them your poll card, although you do not necessarily need this to vote. They will then hand you a ballot paper or papers relevant to the election taking place and direct you to a polling booth.  

In the booth you should mark the paper appropriately, first reading any instructions on the ballot paper or displayed on the walls. The booths are there for you to mark your vote in private. 

Do not mark the paper other than as indicated otherwise your vote may not be counted.

Then fold the ballot paper, walk over to the ballot box and show polling staff the back of the ballot paper (so they know it is authentic) and place it in the box. 

In larger Polling Places, there may be an information officer who can answer any questions you may have about the voting process. If you think you may need particular help, please see information for Voters with Disabilities.

Contact

In relation to registering to vote:

Grampian Electoral Registration
Woodhill House, Westburn Road, Aberdeen, AB16 5GB
Telephone: 01224 068400

General Enquiries:

For further information on how to vote, please contact our Election Team.