Registration update

The current Register of Electors for Stirling County published on 1^st December 2007  showed an increase from previous year of 600 electors to 65,829.The statistics also show an increase of 3.5% to 24.7% in the number of electors who have chosen to withhold their names from the Edited Register of Electors (which is the register sold to marketing companies etc) Each European Union country has at least one elector registered to vote with the largest EU representatives being Germany with 190 and Poland with 171

Brian Byrne, The Electoral Registration Officer, advised that he was disappointed that approximately 13% of households had still to return a registration form and that further efforts would be necessary to try and get the occupiers to register to vote. He stated that significant numbers of electors registered no household changes by internet, telephone & text message options this year which hopefully will increase in future years and help reduce the postage & printing costs.

Anyone who thinks they are not registered can check in the local library to see that there name is included the printed register. Anyone who needs to register, or who has moved address, changed their name etc & needs to re-register can do so by completing and returning a form which is available in libraries or by downloading a form from www.saa.gov.uk/central

As well as not being able to vote if you are not registered to vote it can cause credit reference difficulties now and in the future as all major credit reference companies use the register to help verify residence.  It’s all change this year for electors who want to vote by post or appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf. New forms will be posted to every current postal voter as soon as possible after the new legislation comes into effect (expected February 2008) to collect their dates of birth and signatures.. In future all.

Besnt voters will require to provide these personal identifiers when they apply to vote by post and when ballot papers are being returned at every election. It is intended to enhance the security of these votes.

Anyone organisations or individuals who want more information on registration or voting options should contact the Electoral Registration Office, Hillside House, Laurelhill, Stirling FK7 9JQ Tel 01786-892289

Statistics by identified areas 3^rd January 2008