Electoral Services in Scotland nationality choice option: FOI release

Information requested

"If Electoral Services in Scotland allow the choice of "Scottish", as opposed to British, as an option when registering to vote for elections at all levels".

Response

Electoral Registration Officers are obliged to operate within existing law in keeping the electoral register up to date. The law does not currently allow them to permit a choice of nationality as Scottish rather than British for the purposes of electoral registration. The British Nationality Act 1981 set out the requirements for a person to be a British citizen. There is no equivalent legislation in relation to Scottish nationality. You might find the following Electoral Commission guidance for Electoral Registration Officers of interest: Requesting evidence of someone’s nationality | Electoral Commission.

The registration system is currently UK-wide and voters are able to register for UK Parliamentary Elections, as well as Scottish Parliament and local government elections taking place in Scotland, by registering only once.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.