Residents in Craigentinny and Duddingston are being urged to register to vote in the ward’s Council by-election, with three weeks until the deadline.
The by-election to elect a new councillor for the area is due to take place on 12 November, with additional distancing and hygiene measures in place so people can vote safely.
You can sign up for a new postal vote before 28 October too (voter registration closes on 27 October), if you would prefer to vote that way.
You can also apply for someone to vote on your behalf via proxy voting, with the deadline for new proxy vote applications on 4 November (for registered voters). After this, anyone who is unable to vote in person because of a medical emergency or who is following advice in relation to Covid-19 can apply for a proxy vote before 5pm on 12 November.
Returning Officer for Edinburgh Andrew Kerr said:
This is an extremely challenging time and we’re having to make changes in many areas of our lives. However, I would encourage anyone living in the Craigentinny/Duddingston ward to make sure they’re registered to vote in the forthcoming by-election to help make sure their views are represented in future, important decisions made by the council.
I want to reassure residents that we’re making every effort to help them to vote safely and our Elections Team are working hard to put measures in place for the protection of voters and staff. I would also urge those who can’t or would prefer not to vote in person on the day to apply for a postal or proxy vote.
Nominations for the by-election, which follows the resignation of Councillor Ian Campbell in February, are currently open, closing on 12 October. Craigentinny/Duddingston is one of the city's larger wards, with an electorate of 24,375.
Several safety measures will be in place at polling places on 12 November. This will include some limits on the number of people inside a polling place to allow physical distancing, clear protective screens for polling place staff and fresh clean pencils for every voter. There will also be enhanced cleaning, hand sanitiser and the requirement for voters to wear masks.
Find out more about the Craigentinny and Duddingston by-election on the Council website.