United Kingdom Statutory Instruments

• British citizens, citizens of other Commonwealth countries or of the Irish Republic.

• Citizens of other Member States of the European Union - you should therefore include all citizens of the following States:

Austria	Finland	Ireland	Poland
Belgium	France	Latvia	Portugal
Cyprus	Germany	Lithuania	Slovakia
Czech Republic	Greece	Luxembourg	Slovenia
Denmark	Hungary	Malta	Spain
Estonia	Italy	Netherlands	Sweden

These citizens will be registered as local government electors only (unless they are also Commonwealth citizens such as citizens of Cyprus and Malta, or citizens of the Irish Republic, who can vote in all elections). Those citizens registered as local government electors are able to vote in elections for the Scottish Parliament.

• Those living in your household who are 16 and 17 years old - they can vote as soon as they are 18. Please give their dates of birth in Part 4.

• Those who normally live in your household but are away for the time being - for example on holiday, as students, or in hospital (including voluntary patients in psychiatric hospitals).

• Anyone who is away working, unless they are away for more than six months.

• Any other residents, lodgers or guests (but not short-stay visitors) in your household, whether this is a private address, a hostel or a club.

Don't include:-

• Foreign nationals - except for citizens of Member States of the European Union (see list of States above).

• People under 16.

• Anybody who will be leaving your address before 15th October [insert year].

European Parliamentary Elections

If you are a citizen of a Member State of the European Union, you may be able to vote in European Parliamentary Elections in this country if you wish, but you will need to fill in another form to allow you to do so. Ask the electoral registration officer for more details.

The two versions of the register

The electoral registration officer makes and keeps two versions of the electoral register the full register and the edited register.

Please put a tick in Part 5 against anyone who wishes their name and address to be excluded from the edited register. Each elector must choose each year whether they want their details to be excluded from the edited register. You must therefore ask each of them their preference before completing this form. You must decide whether to tick the box even if you have ticked it on a previous canvass form.

The full register

The full register lists everyone who is entitled to vote and includes their address. You can check it by calling at your local electoral registration office, the council offices or at some local libraries. Only certain people and organisations can have copies of the full register, and they can only use it for specified purposes. The main use of the full register is for elections and referendums, but it can also be used for other purposes such as the prevention and detection of crime and for checking your identity when you have applied for credit. Details of others who can have copies of the full register and what they can use it for are given in the Representation of the People (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002 No. 1872).

It is a criminal offence not to comply with the Regulations. For example, it is a criminal offence either to pass the full register on to anyone or to use it for any purpose, except as allowed by the Regulations.

The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc.) Order 2002, Schedule 1 (S.I. 2002 No. 2779) also makes provision about those who can have copies of the full register and what they can use it for, in the context of elections to the Scottish Parliament.

The Regulations and Order are available on the internet at www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/stat.htm or you can buy a copy from The Stationery Office Ltd.

The edited register

The edited register leaves out the names and addresses of people who have asked for them to be excluded from that version of the register. The edited register can be bought by anyone who asks for a copy and they may use it for any purpose.

How to return this form

First, please check that you have read and completed the form and signed the declaration. Then return it in the envelope provided or fold the form up as the instructions tell you. Otherwise you can send it or take it to your local electoral registration office at the address shown on the form.