Ahead of the General Election on 4 July, voters in East Lothian are being reminded of key information and changes which they need to be aware of before polling day.
Postal and proxy votes
While most people in the ‘Lothian East’ constituency should have received their postal vote by now, we know that some residents may not have received this.
Anyone in the constituency who has not yet received their postal vote and is going away on holiday between now and Monday can collect a replacement paper this weekend.
The Elections Office at Meadowmill Sports will be open from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday and from 11am to 4pm on Sunday. Anyone going away between now and Monday who had their application for a postal vote approved but is not currently in possession of this can attend.
Please bring a form of identification with you and/or a postal poll card.
There have been national issues with the printing and delivery of some postal votes. East Lothian Council’s Elections team have been working hard to provide support for people who have not yet received their postal vote and this will continue over the weekend and into next week if necessary.
The Elections Office can be contacted by telephone on 01620 820183/4/5 or by email - elections@eastlothian.gov.uk
Voters are encouraged to send their postal vote by post where possible. You can only hand in up to five postal votes, plus your own, to John Muir House in Haddington or polling place in your constituency. If a person hands in more than five postal ballot packs for other electors, all the remaining postal votes will be rejected.
Should voters attempt to hand in their postal vote at other council offices staff will advise them to put their postal vote in a Royal Mail post box (if sufficient time allows), hand in to John Muir House, Haddington or to a polling place in the Lothian East constituency on Polling Day.
In all circumstances when handing in a postal vote, a form needs to be completed.
We cannot accept any postal votes which are left in the council mailbox, or which are put in the internal mail system.
The rules on who can hand in postal votes in some elections have also changed. Political parties and campaigners can only hand in postal votes for their family members, or people they provide care for.
The secrecy requirements which apply at a polling station are being extended to postal and proxy votes.
Voter ID
Voters are now required to show a valid form of photo identification (ID) when voting at polling stations in UK Elections. People who don’t already have an accepted form of photo ID could apply for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate, by Wednesday, 26 June.
You may already have a form of photo ID that is acceptable - you can use any of the following:
- passport
- driving licence (including provisional licence)
- blue badge
- certain concessionary travel cards – such as the Scottish National Entitlement Card issued for the purpose of concessionary travel
- identity card with PASS mark (Proof of Age Standards Scheme)
- biometric immigration document
- defence identity card
- certain national identity cards
You will only need to show one form of photo ID, but it must be the original version and not a photocopy. The name on your ID must be the same name you used to register to vote. The photo ID can be out of date as long as the image shown clearly looks like you.
For more information, including the full list of accepted forms of photo ID, visit the Electoral Commission website or call their helpline on 0800 328 0280.
If you don’t already have an accepted form of photo ID, or you’re not sure if your photo ID still looks like you, you can apply for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate. The deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate to use for this General Election was 5pm on Wednesday, 26 June.
Boundary changes
For the UK parliamentary constituency, most of the East Lothian constituency sits in the new ‘Lothian East’ constituency. Most of the town of Musselburgh is in the Edinburgh East and Musselburgh constituency.
New polling places
There are some changes to polling places in the Lothian East constituency:
- Pencaitland and Winton Bowling Club in place of Trevelyan Hall
- Wallyford Learning Campus in place of Wallyford Community Centre
- The Fraser Centre, Tranent in place of Tranent Town Hall
- Voters that previously went to a portable unit at Fenton Barns will now go to Dirleton Church Hall.