# The Absent Voting (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2026, Regulation 8: General requirements for applications for an absent vote


In regulation 3 (general requirements for applications for an absent vote at a local government election in Scotland)—
(a) in paragraph (2), after sub-paragraph (a) insert—
“(aa) for a relevant absent voting application, the applicant’s national insurance number or, if the applicant is unable to provide that information, the reason why they are unable to do so;”,
(b) after paragraph (3) insert—
“(3ZA) Any requirement that any application, notice, representation or relevant identity attestation given under regulation 11B(5) should be in writing is satisfied where (apart from the usual meaning of that expression) the text of it—
(a) is transmitted by electronic means,
(b) is received in legible form, and
(c) is capable of being used for subsequent reference.”,
(c) in paragraph (4), after “indefinite period,” insert “the maximum period,”,
(d) after paragraph (6), insert—
“(7) Where by virtue of arrangements made by a Minister of the Crown, a relevant absent voting application is made through the UK digital service—
(a) the Minister of the Crown may complete the application in part using information provided by the applicant as part of an application, or a partially completed application, under section 10ZC or 10ZD of the 1983 Act for registration in, or alteration of, a register of electors made through or completed using the UK digital service;
(b) where the application is required to contain a signature, the application must contain a compliant photograph or electronic scan of the applicant’s signature;
(c) the Minister of the Crown must—
(i) request that the applicant provide their most recent previous name (if they have one), and
(ii) provide an explanation of the purpose for which the information will be used.
(8) In paragraph (7)(b), “compliant photograph or electronic scan of the applicant’s signature” means—
(a) the signature contained in the photograph or electronic scan complies with the requirements of sub-paragraph (a) of paragraph (3A), and
(b) the photograph or electronic scan of the signature is sufficiently clear and unambiguous so as to comply with the requirements of paragraph (3A).
(9) Where an applicant is unable to provide a national insurance number in accordance with paragraph (2)(aa), the applicant may provide as part of the application a copy of any of the documents listed in regulation 11B(2) to (4).
(10) The Minister of the Crown must send to the registration officer—
(a) subject to paragraph (11), any relevant absent voting application the Minister of the Crown receives,
(b) the applicant’s previous name (if any provided),
(c) any copy documentation provided by the applicant in accordance with paragraph (9), and
(d) a reference number unique to that application.
(11) Where a relevant absent voting application made through the UK digital service in accordance with paragraph (7) includes the applicant’s national insurance number the Minister of the Crown—
(a) may send the registration officer that application without the national insurance number, and
(b) where the Minister of the Crown does so, must indicate to the registration officer that a national insurance number was included when the application was made by the applicant.
(12) A document provided in accordance with paragraph (9) or regulation 11B may be transmitted by an applicant by electronic means.”.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/sdsi/2026/9780111065211/regulation/8 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/draft-absent-voting-miscellaneous-amendment-scotland-regulations-2026/regulation-8
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.