Deadline day to register to vote in May 7 Scottish elections

Anyone not yet registered to vote in the Scottish election on May 7 has only a few hours left to apply.

The deadline to register is 11.59pm on Monday.

Applications can be submitted online at gov.uk/registertovote.

Elections are being held on May 7 to elect members of the Scottish Parliament, as well as the Senedd in Wales and 136 local authorities in England.

Members of the Scottish Parliament were last elected in 2021.

Some 42,827 applications to register to vote were submitted on Sunday April 19, the highest on a single day across the UK so far this year, Government figures show.

An average of 33,218 applications were made per day in the week to April 19, up from 23,255 the previous week and 21,426 a fortnight ago.

The contests on May 7 represent a crucial test at the ballot box for all political parties.

Elections for devolved parliaments can reflect voters’ attitudes about their local area, such as when bins are collected, the state of parks and pavements, or the quality of schools and hospitals.

But they can also be a verdict on how parties and leaders are handling national issues – which this year could mean the cost of living, the economy and immigration, or even foreign affairs such as the wars in Iran and Ukraine.

Along with Monday’s deadline to register to vote, there are a number of other key dates before polling day.

The deadline to apply for a postal vote for the elections is 5pm on Tuesday, April 21.

Applications can be made online at gov.uk/apply-postal-vote.

Photo ID is not needed to vote in the elections for the Scottish Parliament.

April 28 is also the deadline to apply for a proxy vote, to allow someone to vote at a polling station on your behalf.

Applications can be made online at gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote.

On election day, Thursday, May 7, polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm.

Results for the Scottish Parliament will be declared on Friday, May 8.