You will need to be on the electoral register if you want to vote to take part in elections and referendums. For more information on voting in elections and to register to vote, use the UK Government register to vote service.

When you use this service to register, your information is passed to your local Electoral Registration Officer, who is responsible for the preparation and maintenance of the electoral registers for:

• Clackmannanshire Council
• Falkirk Council
• Stirling Council

Mencap have created accessible easy read webpages to show you how you can register to vote in any elections local to you.

After your details are verified by the government digital service you will receive a letter advising you when you will be added to the electoral register. If there are any problems with your registration, the Electoral Registration Officer will contact you.

Once you are on the electoral register, you can vote in elections or referendums where you are eligible to vote. Different elections and referendums in the UK have different rules about who can vote. This means that not everyone can vote in every situation. You can find out more information on GOV.UK.

If you are registered to vote, you will be sent a poll card shortly before an election. This will tell you where and when you can vote. Your poll card will differ depending on how you have chosen to vote.

• If you choose to vote in-person at your local polling station. 
• If you choose to vote by post. 
• If you choose to appoint a proxy to vote for you. 

On election day, go to your polling station. Your polling station is usually located within a primary school, community hall or public building near where you live. There may be more than one polling station in the building, but there will be information on hand to direct you to your current polling station.

When you arrive at your polling station, tell the staff there your name and address. If you have your poll card with you, show this to the election staff and answer any questions they have. You may be asked to show photographic identification. You do not have to bring your poll card with you to vote but it might save time if you do. If you do show your poll card to the staff, you must remember to take it away with you.

You will then be given a ballot paper (or ballot papers if there is more than one election on that day) and directed to a polling booth to cast your vote in private. In the polling booth you will find instructions to assist you in marking your ballot paper correctly. These instructions can also be found on the ballot paper. Mark your ballot paper as directed, fold it half and put it in the ballot box.

Staff are available in the polling station to assist electors so please ask questions if there is anything you are unsure of or if there is any additional equipment you may need to help you vote independently and in secret.

• A tactile voting device
• An audio description of the Ballot Paper
• A large print guide of the Ballot Paper
• A magnifier
• Assistance by companion
• Assistance by Presiding Officer

You can take your phone into the polling booth to use magnifier or text-to-speech apps, or the phone torch to improve lighting. But you must not take any photos or videos inside the polling station.

If you cannot attend a polling station on the day of an election, you can apply in advance to vote by post. You must be registered to vote before you make an application to vote by post.

To apply for a postal vote, please download the appropriate application form(s) for the appropriate election(s) (Devolved and/or Reserved) from the Scottish Assessors Association (Central Scotland).

Completed postal voting applications should be returned as soon as possible to the Electoral Registration Officer for Central Scotland.

If you cannot attend a polling station on the day of an election, you can apply in advance to vote by proxy. You must be registered to vote, and your proxy must be registered to vote before you make an application to appoint a proxy to vote for you.

Any registered voter who is unable to vote in person or by post by reason of disability, employment or attendance at an educational course may appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf.  Applicants can choose to have a proxy vote for one election, a specific period, or all future elections.

To apply for a proxy vote, please download the appropriate application form(s) for the appropriate election(s) (Devolved and/or Reserved) from the Scottish Assessors Association (Central Scotland).

Completed proxy voting applications should be returned as soon as possible to the Electoral Registration Officer for Central Scotland.