Franchise

The right to vote in Scottish Parliament and local government elections has been extended with the passing of the Scottish Elections (Franchise and Representation) Bill. The bill extends voting rights to all foreign nationals with leave to remain, including all those granted refugee status.

The Scottish government has published legislation to extend the right to vote in Scottish elections to citizens of all nationalities legally resident in Scotland. The Scottish Elections (Franchise and Representation) Bill aims to benefit around 55,000 people and reaffirms the existing voting rights