Voters head out on election day
Voters across South Lanarkshire are at the polls today (Thursday) to choose their councillors – and determine who will run the area’s vital local services for the next five years.
There are nine parties running – SNP, Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Greens, Scottish Family Party, ALBA Party, UKIP and Scottish Libertarian Party – as well as 10 independent candidates.
The polls are open from 7am to 10pm, allowing voters to go when they please to cast their votes for their chosen candidates.
There are 20 wards in South Lanarkshire and 64 councillors to be elected.
To vote for your chosen councillor, you will be given one white ballot paper and will vote using numbers.
You will number the candidates in order of your preference starting with number one in the box next to the name of your first chosen candidate – you can make as many or as few choices as you want.
This is because each ward elects multiple councillors – wards across South Lanarkshire elect three or four councillors each.
Staff at the polling station will be able to help if you are unsure how to complete your ballot paper.
Most polling stations will be fully accessible and staff are trained and have access to assist disabled electors to vote in secret or with the assistance of polling station staff.
For blind and visually impaired voters, a tactile voting template and large print version of the ballot paper will be available at all stations.
Registered voters should have received a polling card which tells them where to vote, and South Lanarkshire Council has provided an online support tool where you can enter your street name or postcode if you are unsure where to vote.
It can be accessed on the council’s website.
Votes will be counted tomorrow (Friday, May 6) at the John Wright Centre in East Kilbride and results are expected throughout the day.