Electoral reform consultation: easy read

Part 1 – Candidates

We want to know if you think more people should be allowed to stand for election to be a councillor or a Member of the Scottish Parliament. Under current laws, 16 and 17 year olds are allowed to vote but are not allowed to stand for election.

We also want to know if you think more people from other countries who are living and working in Scotland should be able to stand for election.

Question 1: Do you think 16 and 17 year olds should be able to stand for election in:

• Both Scottish Parliament and Local Government elections
• Scottish Parliament elections only
• Local Government elections only
• Neither Scottish Parliament or Local Government elections

Question 2: Do you think more people from other countries who are living and working in Scotland should be able to stand for election in:

• Both Scottish Parliament and Local Government elections
• Scottish Parliament elections only
• Local Government elections only
• Neither Scottish Parliament or Local Government elections

Question 3: Do you have any other comments about this? Please tell us in the box below:

Disqualification for threatening and abusive behaviour

The Government proposes that anyone found guilty of threatening or abusing electoral candidates could be disqualified from standing in elections themselves. They could be barred from standing as a councillor or member of the Scottish Parliament for 5 years.

Question 4: Do you agree with this proposal?

• Yes
• No

Question 5: If you said no, what do you think the punishment should be? Please tell us in the box below:

Freepost communications

Anyone standing in Scottish Parliament elections is allowed to send a leaflet or letter to voters by freepost. We wonder if people standing for Local Government elections should also have this right.

This costs a lot of money. We wonder if candidates should be limited to sending one free mailing to each household rather than to every voter. However, some say that voters are more likely to read mail that is addressed to them by name.

Question 6: Do you think people standing in Scottish Local Government elections should also be allowed to send leaflets and letters by freepost?

• Yes
• No

Question 7: Do you think there should be a limit of one free mailing to each household instead of to each voter?

• Yes
• No

Question 8: Do you have any other comments about free mailings? Please tell us in the box below:

Publishing home addresses

The law was changed in 2020 so that candidates do not have to put their home addresses on ballot papers. This was because of worries about the safety of the candidate and their families.

Candidates who do not have a person helping them - called an "agent" - still have to publish their home address. We think the candidate should be able to give another address than their home. This could be a workplace or the address of a friend or relative.

Question 9: Should candidates who are acting as their own agents be able to use a different address?

• Yes
• No

Candidate's addresses on ballot papers

If a candidate does not want their home address to be printed on a ballot paper, they can put the council area where they live on the ballot. We wonder if they should also be able to say what local area within the council they live in. This is because voters may find it helpful to know if candidates live in their local area.

Question 10: Do you think candidates should have the choice on adding the local area they live in on ballot papers?

• Yes
• No

Question 11: Do you have any other comments about candidates' addresses? Please tell us in the box below: