More diversity at ballot boxes
THERE has been a sharp increase in the number of foreign nationals registered to vote in council elections.
New figures released by the National Records of Scotland (NRS) show a significant rise in both Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire over the past six years.
In December, there were 4,314 foreign nationals registered to vote in elections to Renfrewshire Council – up from 2,572 in the same month in 2017 – and the total for elections to East Renfrewshire Council was 1,205, compared to 669 six years earlier.
In both council areas, the number has risen steadily each year since 2017.
Foreign nationals who are eligible to vote in council elections are also entitled to vote in Scottish elections.
Across Scotland as a whole, a total of 189,454 foreign nationals were registered to vote in Scottish Parliamentary and local government elections in December 2023, compared to 124,973 in December 2017.
The NRS data also shows an increase in the overall electorate in both Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire.
In December last year, there were 141,311 people in Renfrewshire and 74,380 in East Renfrewshire who were registered to vote in Scottish Parliamentary and local government elections.
By comparison, the figures
Parliamentary in December 2012 were 130,992 and 69,447 respectively.
The total number of people in Scotland registered to vote in those elections increased from 4,063,206 to 4,241,845 over the same period.
Those aged 16 and over can vote in Scottish Parliamentary and local government elections but the minimum age for voting in a UK-wide general election is 18.
Around one-fifth of the total electorate was registered for a postal vote in Scottish Parliamentary and local government elections in December 2023 – slightly down on 2022.
Sandy Taylor, NRS head of electoral statistics, said: “Our analysis shows registering for postal voting was generally higher in more rural or remote constituencies.”