The website VoteScotland.com has detailed information about the elections due on May 3, 2007.
Local Government Elections
Responsibility for local government in Scotland lies with the Scottish Executive and Scottish Ministers are responsible for issuing rules for the conduct of local government elections. Local authorities themselves are responsible for organising and conducting these elections.
Scottish Parliament Elections
The Secretary of State for Scotland is responsible for the conduct and funding of elections to the Scottish Parliament. The Scotland Office website contains further information on the Scottish Parliament elections and can be accessed at the Scotland Office website.
Legislation
The legislation which provides for the conduct of local government elections is The Scottish Local Government Elections Rules 2007. Where the local government elections are combined with the Scottish Parliament elections, these Rules are modified by The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc) Order 2007. Both the Rules and the Order can be found at the Office of Public Sector Information website.
The Electoral Commission
The Electoral Commission is an independent body that was set up by the UK Parliament in November 2000. The Commission aims to increase public confidence in the democratic process within the United Kingdom - and encourage people to take part - by modernising the electoral process, promoting public awareness of electoral matters, and regulating political parties. The Electoral Commission's website contains information for voters and candidates.
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Full information about the Scottish Parliament can be found on the Scottish Parliament website.
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Contact details for Returning Officers
Each council in Scotland must appoint a Returning Officer who is responsible for the organisation of elections within that council's area. 32 Constituency Returning Officers and 8 Regional Returning Officers will be appointed. Returning Officers and their staff will be pleased to assist candidates with any specific questions they may have about election procedures in a given area.
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Contact details for Electoral Registration Officers
To vote at the Scottish Parliament Elections you must be registered in the local government electoral register. To find out more about registration you should contact your local Electoral Registration Officer.
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Guidance for Returning Officers and Election Office Staff
The Electoral Commission has produced the following guidance to assist Returning Officers and polling station staff to carry out their duties efficiently and effectively:
- Returning Officer's guidance manual
- Polling Station handbook
Both documents are available from the Electoral Commission website at www.electoralcommission.org.uk
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Code of practice for observers at local government elections
Legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament in August 2006 allows both individuals and organisations to observe proceedings at local government elections in Scotland. Details of how to be an observer at these elections can be found in the code of practice. The code closely follows the content of the code issued by the Electoral Commission for use at Parliamentary elections.
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E-Counting
In May, the ballot papers for both the Scottish Parliamentary and Council Elections will be counted electronically. Electronic counting, or 'e-counting', involves scanning paper ballot papers through specifically designed scanners which automatically count the votes recorded on each ballot paper where the voter's intent is clear. The scanners then capture images of all ballot papers where the voter's intent is not clear, and present these images on screen for Returning Officers and their staff to adjudicate. This process is observed by agents and candidates by using outward facing monitors and large screens. This means that all votes which are not interpreted clearly by the scanners are presented for manual consideration in a very transparent manner.
A DVD of how e-counting will operate has been commissioned by the Executive, the Scotland Office and DRS (the e-counting supplier). This is available on the DRS website.
The E-Counting Project Board, made up of electoral administrators and Executive and Scotland Office officials, and the E-Counting User Group, which includes representatives from SOLAR, SOLACE, AEA, COSLA and the Electoral Commission, have been evaluating and testing the system since January 2006. The e-counting system has been extensively tested through a series of trials, an acceptance test and a large volume test. Every one of Scotland's 32 Councils have had an opportunity to operate and test the system during these sessions and provide feedback on changes or enhancements they wanted to see included in the final version. The system has already been used effectively at similar sized elections for the Greater London Authority.
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