Record number of postal voting packs
A record number of voters in North Ayrshire will use a postal vote in the forthcoming election for the Scottish parliament.
The number of people registering for a postal vote in North Ayrshire has risen by 50 per cent since the 2016 Scottish parliament election.
For thousands of people, this will be the first time they will have voted by post and it is important they fill out their ballots properly.
Once you receive your postal voting pack, make sure you complete it straight away. Don't let anyone else handle it and avoid leaving it where someone else could pick it up.
Complete the ballot paper in line with the instructions. For the Scottish parliamentary election, you will have two ballot papers (one lilac and one peach). You should mark your choice on each ballot paper with a single cross [X].
Do not mark the ballot papers in any other way or they may not be counted.
Make sure you complete your ballot alone and in secret. Once you've completed your ballot papers, put them in envelope A and seal it.
Next, complete the postal voting statement with your date of birth and signature. Giving this information will not affect the secrecy of your vote. If you have a waiver you won’t need to sign it but you must still provide your date of birth.
Put everything inside the envelope B, seal it and post it back to the constituency returning officer right away.
When the office receives your postal voting pack, your signature and date of birth are checked against those you provided on your postal vote application. This is to confirm your identity.
Your postal voting statement is separated from envelope A (containing your ballot papers) before these are looked at or counted.
Your postal vote must be received by 10pm on Thursday May 6, 2021 to be counted.
If you don’t post your postal vote in time, don’t worry - you can hand it in at your nearest polling station within your constituency on polling day.
Voting gets under way at 7am on Thursday May 6, with polling stations remaining open until 10pm.
In next week's Banner, the Cunninghame North candidates say what they would do for Arran.