Scottish Council Elections 2017

Helpline 0141 287 4444

The Scottish council elections take place on Thursday 4 May 2017. You vote to decide who represents you in your local council and who makes decisions on the provision of local services.

Your ballot paper will list all the candidates standing to be councillors in your ward. You will be asked to number the candidates in order of your choice using 1, 2, 3 and so on.

You don't have to number every candidate, you can make as many or as few choices as you wish. As long as you number at least one your vote will be counted. If you make a mistake on your ballot paper you can ask for a new one.

For more information about STV please visit https://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/how-do-i-vote/what-are-the-different-voting-systems

If you have just found out you are unable to attend the polling station on the day of the election due to work or medical reasons you can apply for an Emergency Proxy Vote until 5pm on the day of the election. Please see the Emergency Proxy Vote section below for further information.

Who Can Vote

You can vote in this election if you are registered to vote in Scotland and will be aged 16 or over on Thursday 4 May 2017 and are:

a British or Irish citizen, or
a citizen of another European Union, or
a Commonwealth citizen who has leave to remain in the UK or who does not require leave to remain in the UK

How to register to vote

You must be registered to vote or have completed an application to register by Monday 17 April 2017 (midnight).

You can register to vote by the following methods:

online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote (paper applications can be downloaded from here)
phoning 0141 287 4444
visiting the Service Desk, 45 John Street, Glasgow, G1 1JE

Methods of Voting

Once you have registered or completed an application to register you can decide how you would like to vote.

There are three main methods of voting:

In person: At your designated polling station on Thursday 4 May 2017.
By post: You can apply to vote by post and receive a postal ballot pack.
By proxy: If you can't go to the polling station you can appoint a person you trust to cast your vote on your behalf, either at your polling station or by post.
If your application to register to vote is successful you will be register to vote in person at your designated polling station. If you want to vote by post or proxy then a separate application must be completed containing your signature and date of birth.

Voting by Post

To obtain a postal vote you must firstly be registered by or applied to register by Monday 17 April 2017 (midnight).

The deadline to apply for a postal vote, a postal proxy vote or to change or cancel an existing postal or postal proxy vote is 5pm Tuesday 18 April 2017. Your application must contain your signature, this is used to verify your vote.

Application forms are available on the Absent Vote link on this page.

Forms can be returned by:

email as an attachment to voters.roll@fs.glasgow.gov.uk
visiting the Service Desk, 45 John Street, Glasgow, G1 1JE
post to Glasgow City Council, Electoral Registration Officer, PO Box 15311, Glasgow, G4 7DL

Please check the dates of issue of postal ballot packs to ensure you will receive it in time to return for the day of the election, Thursday 4 May 2017.

They are as follows:

1st issue of postal ballot packs for applications received by 5pm Wednesday 29 March 2017 will be Thursday 13 April 2017
2nd issue of postal ballot packs for applications received between 5pm Wednesday 29 Marchand 5pm Friday 7 April will be between Friday 14 April and Tuesday 18 April 2017
3rd issue of postal ballot packs forapplications received between5pm Friday 7 April and 5pm Tuesday 18 April will be Tuesday 25 April 2017

If these dates do not suit you may want to apply to vote by proxy.

Lost or spoiled postal ballot packs can be replaced from Thursday 20 April 2017.

Voting by Proxy

A proxy vote is where you nominate someone you trust to vote on your behalf at your designated polling station.

To obtain a proxy vote you must firstly be registered by or applied to register by Monday 17 April 2017 (midnight).

The deadline to amend or cancel an existing proxy vote is 5pm Tuesday 18 April 2017.

The deadline for new proxy vote applications is 5pm Tuesday 25 April 2017.

The person you appoint as your proxy must be a registered elector and they can only act as a proxy for 2 people other than close relatives. They must also qualify to vote in this election.

When you apply for a proxy vote you must provide a reason. Please complete the application relevant to your situation. Forms are available on the Absent Vote link on this page.

Forms can be returned by:

email as an attachment to voters.roll@fs.glasgow.gov.uk
visiting the Service Desk, 45 John Street, Glasgow, G1 1JE
post to Glasgow City Council, Electoral Registration Officer, PO Box 15311, Glasgow, G4 7DL

Voting by Postal Proxy

A postal proxy vote is where you nominate someone to vote by post on your behalf. Applications are required by both the applicant and the nominated proxy, who will then be issued a postal ballot pack. Please contact our office if you require a postal proxy vote.

Please note the deadline to apply for a postal proxy vote is 5pm Tuesday 25 April 2017.

Emergency Proxy Vote

If after 5pm Tuesday 25 April 2017 you find out you are unable to attend the polling station on the day of the referendum, you can apply for an emergency proxy. These can be granted for medical or work reasons up to 5pm on Election Day. These applications must be attested.

Forms can be returned by:

email as an attachment to voters.roll@fs.glasgow.gov.uk
visiting the Service Desk, 45 John Street, Glasgow, G1 1JE
post to Glasgow City Council, Electoral Registration Officer, PO Box 15311, Glasgow, G4 7DL

Key Dates and Deadlines


1^st issue of pollcards for those registered by 12pm 2 March 2017	Wednesday 15 March 2017
Deadline to register	Monday 17 April 2017 (midnight)
Deadline to apply for a postal vote or change an existing postal or proxy vote	Tuesday 18 April 2017 (5pm)
Deadline for new proxy vote applications	Tuesday 25 April 2017 (5pm)
Emergency proxy applications	From 5pm Tuesday 25 April until 5pm Thursday 4 May 2017 (election day)


1^st issue of postal ballot packs	Thursday 13 April 2017
2^nd issue of postal ballot packs	Between Friday 14 April and Tuesday 18 April
3^rd issue of postal ballot packs	Tuesday 25 April 2017

Polling Day

Find your polling station

Over 200 polling stations will be open on Polling Day across Glasgow from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 4 May 2017.

If you are registered to vote you will receive a poll card around 14 March 2017.

Electors are reminded that some polling facilities have changed due to the recent Local Government Boundary Review - it is therefore important to check your poll card for details of your allocated polling station or you can

The Count

Annemarie O'Donnell the Returning Officer for Glasgow City Council will conduct the electronic count for the Scottish Local Government Election at the Emirates Arena, Glasgow, on Friday 5 May 2017.

Admission to the Count will only be those entitled by law with an accredited admission pass.