Voting Systems
- What voting system is being used in the May elections?
- Why has the voting system for the local elections changed?
- How many Councillors will represent my ward?
- What will the ballot papers look like?
- How do I fill in my Scottish Parliament ballot paper?
- How do I fill in my Council ballot paper?
- Do I have to number all the candidates on the Council ballot paper?
- Will there be anyone at the polling place to help me understand how to vote using the different systems?
What voting system is being used in the May elections?
The Scottish Parliamentary elections will use the Additional Member System, whilst the Council elections will use the Single Transferable Vote.
Why has the voting system for the local elections changed?
The Scottish Parliament agreed in 2004 to introduce the Single Transferable Vote for Council elections.
How many Councillors will represent my ward?
The Single Transferable Vote system requires larger wards represented by either 3 or 4 Councillors.
Contact the Returning Officer’s staff at your Council to find out more about the ward in which you live.
What will the ballot papers look like?
There will be one ballot paper for the Scottish Parliament election.
The left hand (brown) side of the ballot paper contains the list of parties and individual candidates standing for election as Regional MSPs.
The right hand (lilac) side will contain the list of candidates standing as Constituency MSPs.
The Council ballot paper will be white.
How do I fill in my Scottish Parliament ballot paper?
For the regional vote on the left hand side of the ballot paper you mark an X next to the party or individual candidate you want to represent you in your region.
For the constituency vote on the right hand side of the ballot paper you mark an X against the candidate you want to be elected in your constituency.
How do I fill in my Council ballot paper?
For the Council ballot paper you number candidates in order of preference. Put a "1" beside the candidate you like best, then a "2" beside your second choice, "3" beside your third choice and so on. You can vote for as many or as few candidates as you like.
Do I have to number all the candidates on the Council ballot paper?
No - you can vote for as many or as few as you choose.
Will there be anyone at the polling place to help me understand how to vote using the different systems?
Most polling stations will have an information officer who is there to help. However, you can also ask the polling station staff for assistance.