Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2025: Core module
This report presents findings from the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey core module 2025. In 2025 the core module asked questions covering attitudes to: trust in government, the health service, the standard of living, democratic engagement, and tax, spending, and redistribution of income.
Importance of voting
Importance of voting in Scottish Parliament, UK House of Commons, and local government elections
Respondents were asked to what extent they think it is important to vote in elections to the Scottish Parliament, UK House of Commons, and local councils.
Almost all respondents thought it important (combined very and fairly important) to vote; with Scottish Parliament at 90%, UK House of Commons at 84% and local councils at 85%.
|
Table |
Scottish Parliament (%) |
UK House of Commons (%) |
Local Council (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Very important |
69 |
63 |
57 |
|
Fairly important |
21 |
21 |
27 |
|
Not very important |
6 |
10 |
10 |
|
Not important at all |
3 |
5 |
4 |
|
Very/ fairly important |
90 |
84 |
85 |
|
Not very/ not important |
9 |
14 |
14 |
|
Unweighted base (n) |
1,549 |
1,549 |
1,549 |
This question has been asked since 2004, and most recently in 2019. The reported importance of voting has broadly increased from the earlier years of the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey Core module, where in 2004 around 80% thought it important to vote.
Percentage of people who think it is important (very/fairly important) to vote in elections to…, 2004 to 2025
Subgroups: Importance of voting
Data tables for all subgroups, by demographic, economic and political factors are available in the supplementary tables alongside this report.
In the 2025 survey, those with no educational qualifications were less likely to think it is was ‘very important’ or ‘fairly important’ to vote in the Scottish Parliament (71% compared to 90% average for all respondents), and also UK House of Commons elections (65% compared to 84% average for all respondents).
Respondents who reported they were ‘really struggling on present income’ were also less likely to think it was important to vote in Scottish Parliament (70% compared to 90% average), UK House of Commons (63% compared to 84% average), and Local Council elections (64% compared to 85% average).
Contact
Email: socialresearch@gov.scot