ONE in six people are not registered to vote in Scotland, according to the Electoral Commission.

The new figure comes as the Electoral Commission (EC) calls on the public to register to vote by Tuesday, November 26, ahead of December’s General Election.

The EC’s data says that 16% of voters in Scotland are still not registered to vote ahead of the general election on Thursday, December 12. Young people and those who have recently moved house are most likely to be incorrectly registered.

A person can register to vote in December’s General Election if they are aged 18 or over on polling day, a British citizen resident in the UK or an Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen resident in the UK.

Andy O’Neill, head of the EC in Scotland, said: “The whole of the UK is gearing up for this election and it is vital that everyone in Scotland is able to have their say, and they must be registered by Tuesday [26 November].

“It only takes five minutes to register to vote online – time that you might otherwise spend waiting for the kettle to boil or for a bus to arrive. So if you want to make sure your voice is heard and you’re not already registered, go online and register now.”

Anyone wanting to vote must be registered by Tuesday. Registration is quick and easy and can be done online at www.gov.uk/registertovote. Anyone who won’t be able to get to their polling station on 12 December can arrange either a postal or proxy vote.