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Election Day - How to vote guide Election Day - How to vote guide
(1 day later)
On 3 May 2007, electors will be given two ballot papers to vote in the Scottish Parliament and local authority elections. For the first time, the council ballot will feature the Single Transferable Vote System. Use our guide to find out how to cast your votes. The Scottish elections have been marred by a huge number of spoiled ballot papers, apparently caused by the complicated system being used. As well as the first past the post and regional lists for the Scottish Parliament, the council ballot, for the first time, featured the Single Transferable Vote System. Here is a guide to how they were supposed to work.
BALLOT PAPER ONE - X MARKS THE SPOTBALLOT PAPER ONE - X MARKS THE SPOT
SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT The Scottish Parliament is made up of 129 MSPs.73 are elected to single-member constituencies and 56 to one of eight multi-member regionsVoters will cast two votes to elect MSPs to their constituency and region using the Additional Member System (AMS) on a single ballot paper AMS is a combined electoral system consisting of first-past-the-post and an element of proportional representationSCOTTISH PARLIAMENT The Scottish Parliament is made up of 129 MSPs.73 are elected to single-member constituencies and 56 to one of eight multi-member regionsVoters will cast two votes to elect MSPs to their constituency and region using the Additional Member System (AMS) on a single ballot paper AMS is a combined electoral system consisting of first-past-the-post and an element of proportional representation
1.Voters use the first ballot paper to elect members of the Scottish Parliament1.Voters use the first ballot paper to elect members of the Scottish Parliament
2. The left side of the ballot paper is peach, the right side is lilac2. The left side of the ballot paper is peach, the right side is lilac
3. You get two votes on this ballot paper3. You get two votes on this ballot paper
4. The peach side is where you choose your regional MSPs4. The peach side is where you choose your regional MSPs
5. The lilac side is where you choose your constituency MSP5. The lilac side is where you choose your constituency MSP
6. You put an X on each side to indicate your choice6. You put an X on each side to indicate your choice
7. Do not fold the ballot paper when you put it into the appropriate box7. Do not fold the ballot paper when you put it into the appropriate box
BALLOT PAPER TWO - NUMBERS NOT X'SBALLOT PAPER TWO - NUMBERS NOT X'S
SCOTTISH COUNCILS There are 32 councils which have 1,222 elected councillorsOn 3 May, for the first time councillors will be elected using the Single Transferable Voting system (STV). This is a form of proportional representationEach council is divided into multi-member wards containing either three or four councillors. Voters rank their choices, 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on, where 1 is the most preferredThey can vote for as few or as many candidates as they likeSCOTTISH COUNCILS There are 32 councils which have 1,222 elected councillorsOn 3 May, for the first time councillors will be elected using the Single Transferable Voting system (STV). This is a form of proportional representationEach council is divided into multi-member wards containing either three or four councillors. Voters rank their choices, 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on, where 1 is the most preferredThey can vote for as few or as many candidates as they like
1. Voters use the second ballot to elect their local councillor1. Voters use the second ballot to elect their local councillor
2. This is the white ballot paper2. This is the white ballot paper
3. You do not use a cross for this vote3. You do not use a cross for this vote
4. You number the candidates in order of preference4. You number the candidates in order of preference
5. Your first choice is marked 1, your second choice is marked 2, your third choice is marked 3, and so on5. Your first choice is marked 1, your second choice is marked 2, your third choice is marked 3, and so on
6. You can mark as many or as few as you like, but you must use numbers not an x6. You can mark as many or as few as you like, but you must use numbers not an x
7. Do not fold the ballot paper when you put it into the appropriate box7. Do not fold the ballot paper when you put it into the appropriate box
WHAT WENT WRONG?
REJECTED PAPERS Airdrie and Shotts 1,536Cumbernauld and Kilsyth 803Dumfries 1,006Dundee East 913Dundee West 978Glasgow Anniesland 1,736Glasgow Baillieston 1,850Glasgow Kelvin 1,195Inverness East 1,249Motherwell and Wishaw 970Shettleston 2,035
Polls have been hit by major problems with some counts suspended and an unprecedented number of spoilt ballots papers recorded.
As many as 100,000 votes may have been discounted across Scotland because they were classed as spoilt papers.
Concerns have been raised about the decision to stage the Scottish Parliament and the local authority elections on the same day.
Voters were presented with two ballot papers and two different voting systems, which may have caused confusion and led to spoilt papers.
In many areas, there were problems with electronic counting machinery being used for the first time.
In a statement, the Electoral Commission said it would be "undertaking a full, independent review of the elections in Scotland. In particular, it will be focusing on the reasons for the high number of rejected ballots; the electronic counting process; and the arrangements for postal voting."