Local by-election 2024 FAQs

You are entitled to vote as an elector at a local government election in the ward if, on the date of the poll, you are a qualifying citizen.(*) This means you must be resident or deemed resident in the registration area and a British, Irish, European Union, Commonwealth or Foreign National citizen with the legal right to remain in the UK.

You must also be

• registered in the register of local government electors for that ward
• of voting age (16 years or over)
• not subject to any legal incapacity to vote (age apart)

If you are a convicted prisoner who is detained and serving a sentence of 12 months or less, you are entitled to vote by post or by proxy.

You are not entitled to vote more than once in the same electoral area at any local government election.

There are also special categories for armed forces voters, crown servants, people resident in the UK with no permanent address.

Contact the Electoral Registration Office for more information - voters.roll@fife.gov.uk.

You can apply to register to vote online. Visit the Government's Register to vote page. You will have to provide are your name, address, national insurance number, nationality and date of birth.

You only need to register once, unless you change your address, name or nationality. You are not registered until you receive confirmation from the electoral registration office about your application.

For any support or advice, contact the Electoral Registration Office - voters.roll@fife.gov.uk

If you've recently moved home and live within the Fife Council area, you will need to register to vote at your new address. You can visit the Government's Register to vote page. Alternatively, you can request a paper application to be sent to you.

For any support or advice, contact the Electoral Registration Office - voters.roll@fife.gov.uk

You do not have to vote in person at the polling station. You can apply to vote by post with a postal vote, or you can appoint someone to vote on your behalf through a proxy vote.

Postal vote

Any elector can apply, and you do not have to give a reason. You can apply to vote by post for an indefinite or a definite period, or for a specific election. To apply, you need to complete a paper form and send it to your Electoral Registration Office. If you are an existing Postal Voter and you wish the ballot paper to be sent to an address other than your home, you will have to give a reason for this.

Proxy vote

If you’re unable to vote in person, you can ask someone to vote on your behalf. Again, you can apply for an indefinite or a definite period, or for a specific election. Everyone is entitled to vote by proxy at a particular election, but if you are applying for a definite or indefinite proxy vote, you will need to give a specific reason.

You can only apply for a proxy vote under certain circumstances, including:

• being away on polling day
• blindness or disability
• not being able to vote in person because of work

In some cases, you may need an attestation to support your application.

To apply, you need to complete the relevant paper form and to send it to your Electoral Registration Office.

Application to vote by proxy

Postal proxy vote

Those appointed as a proxy can choose to apply to vote by post by following the process above.

In some circumstances, an emergency proxy may be granted if you find that you are unable to attend the polling station after 5pm on Wednesday 20th November 2024, for the following reasons:

• In the case of a medical condition, illness or disability arising after the deadline for ordinary proxy applications.
• If your occupation, service or employment means you cannot go to the polling station in person and you only become aware of this after the deadline for ordinary proxy applications.
• For Scottish local council elections, an elector may be able to change their proxy if their appointed proxy’s circumstances have changed and they cannot reasonably be expected to vote at the polling station.
• If you are a Scottish prisoner serving a sentence of 12 months or less.

To apply or for further information, contact the Electoral Registration Office.

Deadline: By 5pm on Thursday 28th November 2024 for emergency proxy applications.

If you have not received your postal vote or mislaid it, then please contact us. A replacement can be issued from our Election office until 10pm on polling day.

It can be posted to you, if there is time, or you can collect your replacement postal vote.

You will be able to fill out the new pack and return it at any polling place within the ward.

You must retain all papers that were accidently spoilt and await instructions that will be issued by the Election Office.

Deadline: By 10pm on Thursday 28th November 2024.

When you receive your postal vote, please complete it as soon as you can. If you do not have enough time to post it back by polling day (remember to allow at least 2 to 3 days for posting back via Royal Mail from within the UK) then you can hand your completed postal vote into any polling place within in the ward.

You can still vote in person at a polling place.

Polling places will be open from 7am to 10pm. If there’s a queue, you’ll still be able vote as long as you have joined it before 10pm.

Staff will not take your polling card from you - please take this home with you. You will be asked for your name and address by one of the polling stations staff to check that your name is on the Register and that you are eligible to vote. You will then be issued with one ballot. You will then be directed to a polling booth where you can vote in secret. You are welcome to take your own pen or pencil, however pencils will be provided in every polling booth and pens are available on request.

Photographic ID is not required for people voting at a polling station at Scottish local government elections. This only applies when voting at a UK Parliament election.

Every elector registered to vote is on the electoral register with a unique reference number. This is made up of letters identifying the ward and polling district and then a number which is the elector’s entry on the Electoral Register.

The polling district in which you are registered determines the building where you should go and vote.

If you are unable to get to the polling station on polling day, you can apply by contacting the Electoral Registration Office for a postal or proxy vote (absent vote).

The location of polling places for this election can be viewed by downloading the Notice of Situation of Polling Places. The details of your allocated polling place will also be on your poll card.

If you are eligible to vote in this election, you will receive a Poll Card. Poll Cards will also be sent to those who have already registered for a postal or proxy vote.

The Poll Cards are scheduled to be posted out via Royal Mail on Tuesday 29th October 2024. If you have not received a Poll Card by Tuesday 5th November 2024, and you are not sure whether you are on the Register or where to go to vote, please contact the Electoral Registration Office - voters.roll@fife.gov.uk.

The Poll Card will give you the date of the election (Thursday 28th November 2024) and the hours during which you can vote in person at your polling station on the day (7am to 10pm). Please read the instructions on the Poll Card carefully. Your Poll Card will also give you your poll number.

You do not need to take your Poll Card with you when you go to vote. Do not worry if you lose your Poll Card as you do not need it to vote.

If you are unable to vote on the day of poll at the polling station, you can apply to vote by either:

• By post
• By proxy which means you can choose for someone else to vote on your behalf.
• By emergency proxy (under certain circumstances)

Voting hours at your polling station will be  from 7am to 10pm, on Thursday 28th November 2024.

Polling station staff can help in the following circumstances:

• You're finding the building difficult to access
• You're blind or partially sighted
• You need the assistance of the Presiding Officer to vote
• You have a companion with you to help you vote

Physical Access

Some polling places may have temporary ramps. Any buildings that do not have wheelchair access will have arrangements where you can get help from the polling station staff.

Voting aids are available at each of our polling stations. These include among others:

• Large print - The ballot paper will be on display in a large print format.
• Magnifying sheet - Each polling place has a magnifying sheet for any electors who find the size of the print difficult to read.
• Plastic voting device - Polling places will have a plastic strip to fit over a ballot paper so that a blind or visually impaired voter can vote in secret. Staff will demonstrate how this voting aid works to any voter wishing to use the device.
• Acetate Coloured Overlays - Polling places will have acetate overlays to assist anyone who requires a reading aid.
• Pencil Grippers - These are available on request to assist with voters completing their ballot paper.

Help from the Presiding Officer or a Companion

If you cannot read the ballot paper, are blind, or cannot vote unaided due to other physical incapacity, you can either ask for assistance in voting from the Presiding Officer or bring along a companion. The companion must be over 16 and be either a close relative or a qualified voter.

Polling station staff are there to help all electors to vote. If you need help or guidance from polling station staff, or wish to raise an issue, you should request to speak to the Presiding Officer who is in charge.

Please refer to the Notice of Election Agents document.

You will have one ballot paper. The local government elections are conducted under the Single Transferable Vote electoral system (STV) which means that you can choose as many or as few preferences as you wish. You'll do this using 1 for your first choice, a 2 for your second choice, a 3 for your 3rd choice, and so on.

The counting of votes cast will take place at 10am on Friday 29th November 2024. The results will be published on Local Government by-election 2024 page immediately after the count is completed.