Make sure your vote will count next year

Households will soon receive forms asking residents to check whether the information that appears on the electoral register for that address is correct.

The aim is to ensure the electoral register is up-to-date and identify any residents who are not registered.

The next election will be for the Scottish Parliament on May 5, 2016. A new system of individual electoral registration was introduced in Scotland last year which means that anyone who hasn’t confirmed their name on the register will be removed.

In East Renfrewshire, there are 1,713 electors registered under the old household system but not yet individually registered. This means they are in danger of being removed.

Alasdair MacTaggart, Renfrewshire electoral registration officer, said: “Anyone who wants to vote must be registered. To make sure you are able to have your say at the elections next year, check the form when it arrives and return it as promptly as possible.

“If you’re not currently registered, we’ll send you information explaining how to do this or you can just go online to apply to register at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

“It’s important that anyone who has moved address recently looks out for the form and checks whether they are registered.

“Individual electoral registration was introduced in Scotland in September, 2014, and its concept is to prevent fraud by enabling government to verify that everyone on the register is who they say they are.

“The transition to the new individual voter registration system will now be completed in December this year. In East Renfrewshire, there are 1,713 electors who are registered under the old household registration system and have failed to register under the new individual electoral registration process. These electors are now in danger of having their name removed from the revised register of electors due to be published on 1 December 2015.”

Any residents who have any questions can contact the elections registration helpline on 0300 300 0150.