PKC: Cons should be able to vote But only if in for under a year

Scotland, we would support an arrangement whereby prisoners were able to vote only in the location of the prisoner’s ordinary residence.

This would avoid the skewing of votes for a potential significant population.

“The elctoral roll provides and mechanism for linking prisoners to their last residence prior to their imprisonment, however it is our view that many prisoners will not have registered on the roll.

“We suggest that a system will be required which identifies the various constituencies for which each prisoner is eligible to vote at the point of their prison sentence commencing to avoid any dispute.”

On which prisoners should be allowed to vote, the response continues: “It is our opinion that extending the voting rights to prisoners serving a sentence or a series of sentences of up to 12 months is fair and reasonable.

“Fixing the threshold at 12 months or less would be consistent with the distinction within the Scottish criminal justice system between the sentencing powers of courts of summary jurisdiction and courts of solemn jurisdiction.”

Councillors will consider the issue at a full council meeting on Wednesday when they are expected to ratify the council’s response.

The ban on prisoners voting does not extend to civil prisoners, such as people committed for non-payment of fines, as they have not been convicted of an offence. Prisoners who are held on remand and prisoners released on parole or home detention curfew can also vote.