The number of people in Scotland who have registered to vote by post increased by 38% since December 2020, according to statistics published today by National Records of Scotland (NRS).
The figures show that for UK Parliament elections 23.1% are now registered to vote by post. A similar increase in registrations for postal ballots in Scottish Parliament and council elections puts that figure at 22.5% ahead of May’s vote.
Today’s figures also show:
· 77,600 young people aged 16 or 17 were registered to vote at Scottish Parliament and local government elections. This increase of 4,300 (5.9%) means young people now account for 1.8% of Scotland’s electorate. While 16 and 17 year-olds can vote in the Scottish Parliament and Council elections, the minimum voting age for UK elections is still 18.
· The number of registered voters for Scottish Parliament and local government elections was 4,245,200. This is an increase of 36,300 (0.9%) on the previous year.
· The number of registered voters in Scotland for UK Parliamentary elections was 4,028,700. This is an increase of 16,300 (0.4%) on the previous year.
· There were 172,100 foreign nationals registered to vote in Scottish Parliament and local government elections. This represented 4.1% of the total electorate. This is an increase of 14,700 (9.4%) on the previous year.
Sandy Taylor, Head of Electoral Statistics said: “In December 2021, nearly a million people in Scotland, around 23% of the electorate, were registered to vote by post.
“This 38% increase in postal voters over the last year is most likely driven by the COVID pandemic.
“Councils across Scotland rely on census data to make decisions on essential services.
“There is still time to complete the census. You have a legal responsibility to take part. It’s important because your household provides information on which to plan and deliver services including schools, hospitals and public transport.
“You can fill it in online at www.census.gov.scot or call 0800 030 8308 free for help and support.”
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