Absent voting at Scottish Parliament and local government elections: equality impact assessment

Key Findings

Age and disability

The Scottish Government has consulted with the UK and Welsh Governments, the Electoral Commission, the Electoral Management Board for Scotland and the Electoral Registration Committee of the Scottish Assessors Association (representing EROs) in preparing these statutory instruments. The proposed extension was also recommended by the Association of Electoral Administrators in their New Blueprint for a Modern Electoral Landscape in February 2025^[2].

EROs have in particular highlighted their recent experience in dealing with absent vote signature samples extended beyond five years. Prior to the 2024 UK Parliament General Election, the UK Government implemented a very similar approach to that outlined in these SSIs in relation to indefinite postal votes for UK Parliament elections. It extended extant postal (but not proxy) votes due for a signature refresh over 2023-25 to 31 January 2026^[3].

As well as their practical experience in processing postal votes after this change (where no concerns have been identified), EROs have highlighted the Electoral Commission report into the 2024 election^[4].

This report concluded that rejection rates were in line with previous elections (2% in Scotland in 2024 and 1.9% in 2019 in Scotland) despite the signature of many postal voters not having been refreshed for a significant number of years (in excess of the 5 year limit).

This evidence, both from practical experience and from the data collected by the Electoral Commission provides reassurance that no negative change is expected as a result of these SSIs to any groups with protected characteristics.

A Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment has been conducted for both SSIs. They both note that as the minimum voting age is 16 it is not therefore possible for a person under 18 to have a signature sample over 5 years old at the time of the 7 May election. As a result, no aspect of these SSIs directly affects persons under aged 18. There is a potential impact on people who were under 18 at the point they provided a signature sample, but who are now adults.