Millions of voters across the UK will head to the polls on Thursday to take part in the snap General Election.
But with big changes to Scotland’s constituencies and the introduction of voter ID a few things will be different this time around.
The number of Scottish MPs will decrease from 59 to 57 and your constituency may have changed since 2019.
So, what should you know before heading to the polling station?
When do polling stations open and close?
Polling stations everywhere in the UK will open from 7am on Thursday until 10pm that night.
Where is my polling station?
You should have received this information in your polling card but it’s easily found online.
Just head to the Electoral Commission’s website here, type in your postcode and it’ll give you the details for your polling station.
Do I need to bring ID?
Yes. This is the first time Scots will have to show ID in an election. Don’t forget it or you won’t be able to vote.
What ID do I need to bring?
There’s a large variety of ID types accepted by the UK Government, including bus passes and driving licences.
Accepted forms of ID
-
A UK or Northern Ireland photocard driving licence (full or provisional) - A driving licence issued by an EU country Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Isle of Man or any of the Channel Islands.
- A UK passport
- A passport issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or a Commonwealth country
- A PASS card (National Proof of Age Standards Scheme)
- A Blue Badge
- A biometric residence permit (BRP)
- A Defence Identity Card (MOD form 90)
- A national identity card issued by the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
- A Northern Ireland Electoral Identity Card
- A Voter Authority Certificate
- An Anonymous Elector’s Document
Travel passes that are accepted as photo ID
- An older person’s bus pass
- A disabled person’s bus pass
- An Oyster 60+ card
- A Freedom Pass
- A Scottish National Entitlement Card (NEC)
- A 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
- A Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
- A Northern Ireland concessionary travel pass
A full list can be found here.
What if I forgot to send my postal vote?
If you’re unable to send away your postal vote on time you can take it down to your polling station.
As long as it’s in before 10pm you should be okay.
When will the exit poll be announced?
Every election, a massive exit poll is conducted across the UK, giving us a glimpse of the actual result.
It’s different from your usual opinion poll because it asks voters coming out of polling booths which party earned a cross on their ballot paper.
The exit poll should be published at 10pm, marking the time polling stations close.
Who are my candidates?
A list of all the constituencies in Scotland and the candidates running for them can be found in STV’s election guide here.
When will I know who my MP is?
Declaration timings vary wildly across the UK. While some English areas will announce winners from 11am Scotland won’t start until around 1am and you won’t get a full picture until around 6am.
STV News has compiled a list of each Scottish constituency and its expected declaration time. You can find that here.
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