Scottish Independence Referendum
Today is the day to cast your vote in the Scottish Independence Referendum After two years of campaigning all the arguments for and against have been put forward, even though there are those on each side who say that there are unanswered questions. We hope you have made up your minds. We will be running a poll of our readers later this evening during our liveblog.
Now all you have to do is find your polling card and head down to the polling station anytime from 7a.m. to 10p.m. today to mark an X in the box of your choice. Remember to mark only one X – do not photograph your ballot paper and tweet it or you may invalidate it we are told.
The counting starts tonight at 10 p.m. tonight and The Edinburgh Reporter is running a live blog to cover the proceedings from the Edinburgh count at Ingliston from just after 10. Join us here later with your comments!
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A monumental 89.4% of postal voters have already cast their vote.
Edinburgh is geared up for its role in the historic poll.
Ballot boxes were collected today for delivery to polling places, staff trained and verification of postal votes has begun ahead of the count.
89.6% of postal voters have already cast their vote, with a total of 377,413 people registered to take part in the Referendum later today
And you are being asked to make their own preparations for the day to ensure they don’t miss out.
Sue Bruce, Counting Officer for Edinburgh and Chief Executive of City of Edinburgh Council, said: “After months of anticipation, the Referendum is finally upon us, and hundreds of thousands of people across the city are about to cast their vote.
“I am really pleased with the high rate of registration, which demonstrates the level of interest in the debate. We have a record number of registered voters in Edinburgh for this Referendum and therefore I would encourage visitors to leave plenty of time to visit their local polling station and to mark an X in the box of their choice when filling out their ballot papers.”
Polling places will be open between 7am and 10pm on Thursday, 18th September, though the public are being advised to avoid busy periods, expected to be before and after normal working hours. Where possible, voters are encouraged to visit mid-morning or mid-afternoon.
Information on local polling places can be found on the polling card delivered to homes or on the Council website.
Postal voters who have not yet returned their ballot paper by post will still be able to hand it in at Waverley Court or City Chambers receptions or at an Edinburgh polling place on Thursday.
Those planning to take part in the Referendum are also being advised to take great care when filling out their ballot paper, by marking a single X next to their choice. Additional comments, marks or mistakes can result in a vote not being counted.
Anyone who is registered to vote but, due to unforeseen circumstances, is unable to make it to a polling station, may need an emergency proxy vote, which can be applied for on the Lothian Valuation Joint Board’s website.
Once your vote has been cast
All votes are secure and accounted for so that the final result can be trusted. Every ballot paper, whether used, unused or spoilt, is accounted for and treated as highly sensitive and confidential.
Votes will be counted as soon as possible after the close of the poll at 10pm. Separate counts will be held by each local authority in Scotland with 32 local totals leading to one overall national result.
Full details of vote security and counting are available on the Council website.
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The latest YouGov poll puts Yes support at 48 per cent to 52 per cent for No, excluding ‘don’t knows’; while a Survation telephone poll shows Yes at 47 per cent to No at 53 per cent (compared to the last Survation phone poll which had Yes at 46 per cent).
Yesterday evening, a MORI poll showed Yes support up 7 points on last month to 49 per cent; while a Panelbase poll had Yes at 48 per cent.
Yes Scotland Chief Executive Blair Jenkins said:
‘These poll – like all the recent polls – show that we are in touching distance of success. The referendum is on a knife edge, and this will spur on everybody who wants and is working hard for a Yes to redouble their efforts.
‘People know that a Yes vote is Scotland’s one opportunity to achieve job-creating powers, protect our NHS from the damaging impact of Westminster cuts and privatisation, and ensure that never again do we get Tory governments imposed on Scotland that we have roundly rejected.
‘The empty offer of a very few more powers from the No campaign has unravelled within 24 hours, in the face of a Tory revolt at Westminster. Only a Yes vote can secure all the powers that Scotland needs to create more jobs and secure our NHS for the future.
‘As we say in response to all the polls, we are working flat out to ensure that we achieve a Yes vote, because it’s the biggest opportunity we will ever have to build a fairer society and more prosperous economy.
‘This referendum is unlike any that has been held before because of an expected record turnout – which we believe will favour the Yes vote.’
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In response to increased press reports and comment implying increased crime and disorder as a consequence of the Independence Referendum Brian Docherty, Chairman of the Scottish Police Federation said:
“The Police Service of Scotland and the men and women who work in it should not be used as a political football at any time and especially so in these last few hours of the referendum campaign.
As I have previously stated the referendum debate has been robust but overwhelmingly good natured.
It was inevitable that the closer we came to the 18th of September passions would increase but that does not justify the exaggerated rhetoric that is being deployed with increased frequency. Any neutral observer could be led to believe Scotland is on the verge of societal disintegration yet nothing could be further from the truth.
Scotland’s citizens are overwhelmingly law abiding and tolerant and it is preposterous to imply that by placing a cross in a box, our citizens will suddenly abandon the personal virtues and values held dear to them all.
At this time it is more important than ever that individuals be they politicians, journalists or whoever should carefully consider their words, maintain level heads and act with respect. Respect is not demonstrated by suggesting a minority of mindless idiots are representative of anything. One of the many joys of this campaign has been how it has awakened political awareness across almost every single section of society. The success enjoyed by the many should not be sullied by the actions of the few.
Police officers must be kept free from the distractions of rhetoric better suited to the playground that the political stump. If crime has been committed it will be investigated and dealt with appropriately but quite simply police officers have better things to do than officiate in spats on social media and respond to baseless speculation of the potential for disorder on and following polling day”
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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
